The four rowers celebrate on their arrival in Falmouth

The four took 40 days and 22 hours to cross the finish line off the Isles of Scilly on Sunday after battling 60mph (97km/ph) winds and 60ft (18m) waves.

They were Nigel Morris and George Rock, both of Ingleby Barwick, Teesside; Rob Munslow of Monmouth, south Wales, and Steve Dawson of Lincolnshire.

Well-wishers lining the dockside cheered and sounded horns.

Champagne flowed and the rowers, all sporting thick beards, were reunited with their wives, children and parents on a crowded pontoon.

How can you be disappointed when you've got a world record? Nigel Morris

Moments after stepping ashore in blazing sunshine, Mr Rock spoke of his relief at having survived violent storms and waves the size of a building.

He said: "The last three days have been sunny like this, but it was never like this for the 39 days we were at sea."

Asked if he ever thought he would not make it back home, he said: "When we faced 60ft waves I was not sure at all.

Mr Munslow, who was today reunited with his mother, Dorothy Munslow, said it had been a childhood dream to row across the Atlantic.

He said the crew members had laughed when giant waves broke two of the seven oars, adding jokingly: "We were down to one spare oar - it looked like there would only be one person rowing."

Strong tides scuppered the rowers' hopes of also becoming the first people in history to row all the way from North America to mainland Britain.

After crossing the finish line off the Isles of Scilly on Sunday morning, they found themselves being sucked south towards France.

The final few strokes as the Vivaldi approaches Falmouth

They attempted to row north, but after they managed to progress only one mile in eight hours, it was agreed they should be towed back to Scilly.

Mr Morris said he was "a little bit disappointed" they did not row all the way to the mainland, but added: "How can you be disappointed when you've got a world record?"

His wife, Elaine, whose sister Julie is married to Mr Rock, said she had been on an "emotional rollercoaster" over the past six weeks.

She and the other families were able to read daily email updates from the rowers and could telephone them once a week for about six minutes.

The crew were all members of the 2002 Skandia Atlantic crossing attempt which ended after 21 days when the rudder was ripped off in a storm.

Identical boats, designed and built by Devon-based firm Woodvale Events, will be used in next year's Ocean Fours Rowing Race from New York to Falmouth.