BBC News | WALES | Rugby fans finally arrive home

Hundreds of Welsh rugby fans, stranded in Ireland because of severe weather, have finally arrived back in Wales.

Tired and seasick rugby supporters made it back to Wales after a mammoth trip which saw them bussed hundreds of miles along the Irish coast trying to catch a boat to Fishguard.

Hundreds of others spent 12 hours aboard a boat in the Irish Sea as they sailed to Holyhead and then were redirected back to Fishguard in south Wales.

And another ferry, carrying hundreds more fans, arrived in Pembroke Dock more than 24 hours late.

Stranded

Those who managed to dock at Holyhead had to endure a five-hour coach journey from the north Wales port back to Fishguard.

Most of the 20,000 Wales fans who went to Ireland to see Wales's 23-19 victory managed to make it home before the bad weather closed in.

But hundreds were left stranded when 70mph winds forced the Port of Rosslare to close.

Supporters, waiting for a ferry from Rosslare to Fishguard, were told they had to return to Dublin and catch a ferry to Holyhead instead.
Cheery fan
Still cheerful - "At least Wales won," said one fan
Some arrived home on Monday evening after ferry company Stena diverted boats from the Fishguard-Rosslare route to Holyhead.

Stena Sealink said gale-force winds had cancelled some high-speed ferry services between Holyhead and Dun Laoghaire.

The high-speed service between Fishguard and Rosslare was cancelled for the whole day.

Some Irish Ferries - Dublin to Holyhead - fast ferry services had also been cancelled.


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