Four Hampshire sailors  have been charged with sexual assault following an incident in Canada.

The four are members of the Royal Navy ice hockey team based in Gosport.

Craig Stoner, 24, from Stonehouse, Darren Smalley, 35, from Gosport, Joshua Finbow, 23, from Stockbridge, and Simon Radford, 31, from Lower Gosport, were each charged with one count of sexual assault by the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service (CFNIS).

In a statement on the Government of Canada website, Lieutenant-Colonel Francis Bolduc, Commanding Officer of the CFNIS, said: ''This is a disturbing accusation of sexual assault.

''I'm pleased with the full cooperation provided by the British authorities to support the hard work and diligence of the CFNIS team in responding to this matter.''

The Associated Press reported that the men were charged for their role in a ''group sexual assault'' in barracks in Shearwater, Nova Scotia.

The Ministry of Defence said the four Royal Navy members have appeared in court charged with sexual assault under the Criminal Code of Canada 272.

Prosecutor Scott Morrison said the British sailors were in Nova Scotia playing in a hockey tournament with Canadian Armed Forces.

He said the Canadian military has jurisdiction over the case, but added that the British military could take over at some point.

The sailors are being held and are due in court on Monday.

A Ministry of Defence (MoD) spokeswoman said: ''The Royal Navy takes allegations of this nature very seriously, however as legal proceedings continue it would be inappropriate to comment further.''

The MoD said it will provide all appropriate assistance to the Canadian authorities.

The CFNIS is a unit within the independent Canadian Forces Military Police Group whose mandate is to investigate serious and sensitive matters in relation to Department of National Defence property, Department of National Defence employees and Canadian Armed Forces personnel serving in Canada and around the world.