Hundreds waited on the dockside to greet loved-ones

Family and friends welcomed the servicemen and women from HMS Edinburgh as they arrived in Portsmouth on Wednesday.

As she returned home, the ship fired a 21-gun salute and her 250 crew lined the decks before being reunited with their families on the jetty.

The Type-42 destroyer played a major role in the war with Iraq, supporting Royal Marines in their attack on the Al Faw peninsula and the port city of Umm Qasr.

I am incredibly proud of my crew who have done their part to liberate Iraq Commanding Officer Commander Guy Robinson

It also acted as a "bodyguard" to the assault ship HMS Ocean, defending her against air and surface attack.

HMS Edinburgh's Lynx helicopter was also involved in protecting the British task group in the region flying round-the-clock patrols.

It flew 158 sorties and spent a total of 242 hours in the air.

Commanding Officer Commander Guy Robinson said: "I am incredibly proud of my crew who have done their part to liberate Iraq.

HMS Edinburgh supported troops in the Iraqi port of Umm Qasr

"They have shown great skill and dedication throughout our demanding four months away, always standing ready to meet every threat and undertake any task that could be asked of us.

"The ship's might was exemplified on the first night of the war when we were placed between ships of the amphibious task group and the heavily armed coast of Iraq.

"We faced threats of anti-ship missiles, suicide speedboats and sea mines as helicopters from HMS Ocean flew repeated missions to land Royal Marines and their equipment onto the Al Faw peninsula."

HMS Edinburgh, which is affiliated to Scotland's capital city, is based at Portsmouth.