Andrew Stow was sentenced to 12 years

The pair from Pembrokeshire were found guilty in July 2001, but the convictions were later quashed on appeal.

A hearing due for Thursday has now been delayed for another four weeks.

The court in Portugal has yet to decide whether to appoint a fresh panel of judges.

It means another long wait for the brothers after an arduous round of legal wrangling.

Andrew, 36, and Graham, 41, were facing 12 years in jail on Madeira after being convicted of smuggling 1.2 tonnes of cannabis into Faro, dragging the haul across the seabed behind their craft in July 1999.

Portuguese police had claimed the pair took the drugs all the way from Milford Haven.

Graham Stow was with his brother Andrew

But, offered moral support by father Dilwyn Stow, they protested their innocence throughout and won a chance at a new trial from the Portuguese Court of Appeal in �vora.

Their solicitor Adrian Jenkins said questions had been raised about the legality of the original trial because, he claimed, crucial evidence had been withheld by the judge.

He also claimed proceedings of the trial had not been recorded.

During the trial, the court heard the brothers had travelled in their fishing boat with the dream of setting up a diving school in Portugal.