Passengers on the MV Van Gogh had been held in the Portuguese port of Funchal since Tuesday as a result of a legal dispute.

Now the vessel has moved on after the boat's owners reached an agreement with administrators.

Wal Hobson and his wife Gladys, both former South Tyneside Labour councillors, are among almost 500 passengers on board.

Despite their plight, Mrs Hobson, who resigned last year as chairwoman of South Tyneside Homes, remained philosophical and upbeat.

Speaking from the ship last night, the 64-year-old said she initially thought the crew was playing a harmless April's Fool Day prank.

But even after learning the situation was serious, Mrs Hobson said the passengers remained in high spirits.

However, she expressed disappointment they had been dragged into the row in the first place, adding: "It's very sad that two companies are slogging it out like this while we are being held to ransom.

"This should have taken place in British waters rather than Portuguese, with all the passengers and crew disembarked.

"Then they should have tried to sort the problems out. I don't think this should have involved passengers and crew."

After spending two nights stuck on the vessel, the boat's crew and passengers have been allowed to complete their journey on to Falmouth, Cornwall, where the vessel is expected to arrive late on Sunday.

The cruise liner set sail on January 4 for a round-the-world trip, costing its 460 passengers anything up to £9,000.

It took in the Mediterranean, Egypt, the Caribbean, Ecuador, Tahiti, New Zealand, Sydney, Mauritius and Cape Town.

Passengers had been due to arrive in Falmouth on Saturday, but a dispute between the administrators of Travelscope, the previous operator, and current owners, Dutch-owned Club Cruise, resulted in a court order detaining the vessel in Funchal.

Mrs Hobson said a large proportion of the passengers were elderly.
Her husband, Wallace – known as Wal – is no stranger to hitting the national headlines.

The long-time political activist was at the centre of the storm over the ejection of an elderly protester from the Labour Party conference three years ago.

He was slammed by political rivals after pictures showed him hoisting frail Walter Wolfgang out of his chair.

The 82-year-old had shouted "nonsense" as Foreign Secretary Jack Straw defended the Government's refusal to withdraw troops from Iraq.