Weston sailor's first words to mum: We've had a bit of trouble but I'm OK'

The family of a yachtsman held by Iranian authorities for a week have described his release as their best possible Christmas present.

Luke Porter, from Weston-super-Mare, was one of five British sailors held captive after their racing yacht accidentally strayed into Iran's territorial waters during a journey along the Persian Gulf.

The 21-year-old and his four colleagues appeared before the media last night after they finally completed their trip from Bahrain to Dubai.

But his parents Charles and Beverley Porter, both 48, who run the Beachlands Hotel in Weston, said he was "elated" at his release from captivity.

Mr Porter said: "His first words to his mum were 'Mum, I'm out. We've had a bit of trouble but I'm OK', as if it was a bad rugby game he had been through, rather than a pretty hideous experience.

"He said that the first couple of days were quite upsetting, but then they got the feeling they were not dealing with anything sinister. I understand they've been treated very fairly."

Mrs Porter said her son was "exhausted but elated".

Luke's twin sister, Jessica, said: "I'm absolutely relieved, it's the best Christmas present I could have, to have him back with us."

Luke had been held with his fellow yachtsmen Oliver Smith, 31, from Southampton, Oliver Young, 21, from Saltash, near Plymouth, Sam Usher, 26, from Scarborough, North Yorkshire and Bahrain-based radio presenter David Bloomer, thought to be in his 60s, after they were intercepted by the Iranian navy as they sailed the Kingdom Of Bahrain racing yacht from Bahrain to Dubai to begin a race last Thursday.

During the press conference at the Dubai International Marine Club last night Mr Smith, the yacht's skipper, said: "We had no intention of upsetting anyone. We were just trying to get here (Dubai) to start a yacht race."

Mr Smith said it was not clear from their charts they had sailed into Iranian waters.

Once on the Iranian mainland, the crew said they were not allowed to leave the room where they were being held without being accompanied by a guard but were taken to make checks on their yacht.

They were given the use of a chess board and darts and were sometimes allowed outside during the evenings.

He said the group were told they were free to leave when the guards brought them breakfast yesterday morning.

Mr Porter praised the work of the Foreign Office, saying diplomats had been "fantastic".

Foreign Secretary David Miliband said the move to free them by the Iranian authorities was proof that "diplomacy can work".