The 28-strong Manx team won two medals, a gold and a bronze

The 28-strong team were one of the Games' smallest outfits, but still managed to win a gold and bronze medal.

A party of schoolchildren and government representatives greeted the athletes at Ronaldsway Airport when they stepped off the flight.

The island's Lieutenant Governor, Vice Admiral Sir Paul Haddacks, said the team had surpassed all expectations.

"We certainly went out with medal hopes, but turning hopes into reality is always a difficult thing," he said.

'Aussie sunshine'

"So to come home with two medals, one of them gold, is above and beyond.

"It's just a shame they couldn't bring some of that Aussie sunshine back with them."

Cyclist Mark Cavendish ended the island's 20-year wait for games gold when he won the 20km scratch race.

Trevor Boyles and David Walton were the Isle of Man's other medal winners at the Games, winning bronze in the shooting trap pairs.

A Manx team have competed in every Commonwealth Games since the island's first appearance in Cardiff in 1958, when Stuart Slack won a cycling bronze.