ROYAL Navy sailors in Hampshire have been left shivering as their bosses refuse to turn on the heating in a drastic cost-cutting exercise.

The 3,600 sailors at the HMS Collingwood training base, in Fareham, have been told they are saving up to £3,000 a day by not switching on the heating, it was reported today.

But they have been left working and sleeping in temperatures as low as 5C.

A memo from the deputy commander at the centre said: "Thank you all for your continued co-operation with our energy efficiency measures. They are working and significant savings are being achieved.

"Not switching on the heating saves approximately £3,000 a day. The intention is for the heating to remain off until at least next week, when the situation will be reviewed. In the meantime my advice is wear warm clothing and use blankets where appropriate."

It is signed off with: "Remember, it can be cold in ships too!"

Last week, the heating came on for just a few hours in the middle of the night.

One sailor at the base, commanded by Commodore Charles Montgomery, said: "It's a sad state of affairs when we can't even afford to keep warm. Morale has dropped to an all-time low. If the heating was turned off in a prison there would be hell to pay."

A Ministry of Defence spokes-man said: "The main reason was not to save money, but because of the mild winter."