Families reunited after up to eight months at sea

THOUSANDS of service personnel have been reunited with their families in time for Christmas as the Royal Navy flagship HMS Prince of Wales and its support ships returned to their home bases.

- BEN MITCHELL

Leading airman Thomas Gray is reunited with his partner Sophie Harris and eight-year-old twins Elsie and Parker

(Ben Mitchell)

The Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier and the Type 45 destroyer HMS Dauntless sailed into Portsmouth Naval Base where the crews were met by cheering families and friends.

The arrival, which is the biggest naval homecoming in 20 years, was brought forward because of heavy winds forecast in the English Channel for today.

Frigate HMS Richmond, which was also part of the carrier strike group (CSG), is also returning to Plymouth during the weekend and HNOMS Roald Amundsen also headed back to its home port in Norway.

Fast jet and helicopter crews are also being reunited with their families at RAF Marham, RNAS Culdrose and RNAS Yeovilton.