The Royal Navy is sending a nuclear submarine to the Falkland Islands amid heightened tensions between Britain and Argentina over the disputed islands, it has reported.

The Trafalgar class vessel, thought to be either HMS Tireless or HMS Turbulent, is believed to be being deployed to protect the islands from Argentine military action.

A Ministry of Defence (MoD) spokeswoman said: "We do not comment on submarine deployments."

The Daily Mail reported that the prime minister had personally approved plans for one of the Navy's most sophisticated submarines to undertake the mission.

Sources told the newspaper that a team of Spanish-speaking communications workers would be aboard to monitor maritime radio transmissions in the region.

It is said the submarine will be in the islands' waters in time for April's 30th anniversary of the 1982 war.

The decision to deploy a submarine to the region comes after the Royal Navy confirmed it was sending one of its most advanced warships to patrol the area.

HMS Dauntless, a Type 45 air defence destroyer, is due to replace the older frigate currently on duty, HMS Montrose.

On Friday Prince William arrived on the Falklands as he prepared to begin a tour of duty as an RAF search and rescue pilot.

The MoD said the posting was part of a "routine operational deployment", despite Argentina accusing the prince of arriving as a "conqueror".

Angry scenes broke out in Buenos Aires on Friday, where a group of masked protesters took to the streets and threw paint at a British bank in protest at the prince's deployment.