AS the freed marines and sailors lined up to face the world's media, the enormity of their ordeal appeared to hit them.

Relief at being back on British soil merged with fatigue and nervous exhaustion. Some smiled, while others looked pensive.

Joy at the hostages' return was tempered by tragic news from Iraq where four British soldiers - two of them women - were killed in a roadside ambush in Iraq.

The former captives had shed the ill-fitting grey suits given to them by the Iranian Government on their release in favour of desert fatigues or naval uniform, according to their regiment.

Standing on the Tarmac at London's Heathrow airport,

each former captive, including Leading Seaman Chris Coe, of Dalton, clutched a tapestry-style gift along with a matching sports bag to hold their few possessions.

Leading Seaman Faye Turney made a joke to her colleagues standing next to her.

Machine-gun toting police kept watch over the released crew.

Earlier they had been escorted from their plane.

Rather than take a bus the short distance to where waiting Sea King helicopters sat, rotor blades whirling, they chose instead to walk across the Tarmac just yards away from the media. Once they were split into two groups to board the helicopters which took them back to Devon and to their families, they seemed to relax.

Leading Seaman Coe sat at the open door of the aircraft smiling and briefly waving to airline staff and media before take-off.

The two huge aircraft finally took off at 12.38pm in the direction of RAF Chivenor.

Once there, they were reunited with their families.

And they spoke for the first time back on British soil.

In a joint statement they said: "It goes without saying that we are extremely happy to be back in the UK and reunited with our loved ones.

"Touching down at Heathrow was for all of us a dream come true and the welcome home that we have enjoyed today was one that none of us will ever forget.

"The past two weeks have been very difficult but by staying together as a team we kept our spirits up, drawing great comfort from the knowledge that our loved ones would be waiting for us on our return to the UK.

"It is only now that we have learned of the enormous public support we have all enjoyed and we wish to thank everyone for their thoughts, kind words and prayers. It means so much to us all. "