Royal Navy sailors were welcomed home for Christmas today after a record-breaking drugs seizure during their six-month deployment to the Caribbean.

The crew aboard warship HMS Iron Duke arrived to meet their loved ones in Portsmouth, Hants, after making the largest ever cocaine seizure by the Royal Navy.

A night-time operation involving the ship's Lynx helicopter and sea boats uncovered 5.5 tonnes of pure cocaine with an estimated UK value of £240 million in a converted fishing vessel off South America in September.

United States Coast Guard personnel conducted an armed boarding and the boat was later destroyed by Iron Duke as it posed a hazard to shipping.

The deployment also saw three other cocaine interceptions in the region with a combined total of 6.4 tonnes - twice the amount seized in the whole of England and Wales in 2008.

The Type 23 frigate also stopped at all the UK overseas territories in the region to provide visible UK support to the islands during the hurricane season.

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Iron Duke's last task on deployment was to help provide maritime security for the Commonwealth heads of government meeting in Trinidad and Tobago at the end of November.

More than 50 heads of state met in the capital, Port of Spain, over three days.

On route home, the warship was diverted to help a sick crew member on board a motor cruiser.

The ship's helicopter winched him off the boat, Ocean Mercury, and took him ashore to the Cape Verde Islands where he is expected to make a full recovery.

The return marks the end of Iron Duke's second deployment to the region in 18 months.

Commander Andrew Stacey said: ''This has been another busy and very successful deployment for HMS Iron Duke. My team are delighted to be back and are very proud of all we have achieved and are now looking forward to a well-earned Christmas break.''