QUEEN Mary 2 broke free from her moorings after being battered by strong winds during a Mediterranean cruise.

The Cunard ship's forward and aft gangways dropped into the water during the incident, which occurred in Civitavecchia, Italy, on August 4.

High-velocity winds caused Queen Mary 2's bow line to snap, resulting in the vessel drifting away from a pier.

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Tugs held the ship in place until new lines could be secured, and no injuries were reported. One of the gangways was later recovered.

The vessel underwent an inspection before departing for its next port of call, Valencia in Spain, where more inspections took place.

In a statement, Cunard said it had anticipated bad weather and was taking precautionary measures when Queen Mary 2 was hit by an unexpected gust of wind.

The £850m ship, which is said to have suffered only minor damage, was visiting the port as part of a 28-day cruise.

She later returned to Southampton.