ANTI-war campaigners who boarded a military supply ship bound for the Gulf in the Solent yesterday have vowed to return - if the vessel moves.

Two protesters who set up camp on Lyra J, which was carrying military cargo from Marchwood, left the vessel at about 6.30pm yesterday as force ten winds battered the ship.

But Greenpeace spokeswoman Melanie Hill said the Rainbow Warrior would continue to monitor the vessel and protesters would board the ship again, if it prepared to move.

The ship's crew had aimed water jets at the Greenpeace members in a bid to test their resolve and get them off yesterday.

Campaigners had boarded with food supplies and protective gear and claimed they would stay on board as far as the Gulf if necessary.

Activists from the group's controversial ship Rainbow Warrior blockaded Marchwood Military Port at the start of the week before it was forced to move because of bad weather.

A Greenpeace spokesman called the campaigners "heroic" for enduring the weather and the hoses for six hours.

He said: "This is part of Greenpeace's global campaign to prevent a military attack on Iraq which will kill thousands of civilians. This war is not justified."

The Royal Navy said the captain of the Lyra J had requested help to get the protesters off and the Navy had a contingency plan to deal with the problem.