Family hails release announcement

Sally Air, the mother of Captain Chris Air, said: "There have been some very dark days over the last two weeks. Obviously we are delighted at the news but it all feels a little surreal. You hope and pray for news like this and then it happens so suddenly. It feels a little bit unreal."

The family of Royal Marine Adam Sperry hailed the announcement of the release of the hostages as "the best present imaginable".

His uncle, Ray Cooper, a market trader, said the return of Marine Sperry, 22, would be marked with a party at his local pub in Aylestone, Leicester. "The one thing I wanted was Adam's safe return to his family for Easter. Whoever has been in the right or wrong, the whole thing has been a political mess, so let's just get them home. It's great."

Meanwhile, celebrations are already under way in Hayle, Cornwall, the home town of 21-year-old Nathan Summers.

He used to work as a barman at the Cornubia Hotel in the town, where landlady Chris Penfold said: "We are just watching it now - we are over the moon. We are very pleased - and the celebrations have already started."

Nathan Summers' grandmother, April Rawsthorne, said from Hayle: "Thank the Lord everything has turned out well for them."

Speaking outside his house in Huddersfield, Chris Coe's father, Stephen, said: "I'm just relieved. We're absolutely over the moon. It's the best news we've had for a long time." Mr Coe said he was watching the Iranian President's news conference live on television and was "overjoyed" when the announcement was made.

Arthur Batchelor's family also voiced their relief that he was being freed.

But his sister Maggie Phillips, from Plymouth, Devon, said she would not be celebrating until he was safely out of Iran. Ms Phillips said: "It is such a relief that he is OK and that he is well, plus the other lads as well. But I do not think I will be happy until he is on that plane, and stood in front of me."