Held UK cruise ship free to sail

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A UK cruise ship detained by police in Madeira in a dispute over a £2 million debt is to be released.

The Van Gogh, which has about 460 passengers on board, was held on Tuesday shortly after it came into Funchal port in the Portuguese isles.

But its owner, Club Cruise, says it has now reached a verbal agreement with the administrators of the vessel's previous operator, Travelscope.

The ship will now sail for its final destination, Falmouth.

Gerard van Leest, managing director of Club Cruise, said he had been told by his lawyers that "the administrators have withdrawn their detention and decided to let the ship continue its voyage to Falmouth".

Home straight

The ship was on the final stage of a round-the-world cruise - stops included Egypt, the Caribbean, Ecuador, Tahiti and Cape Town - and had been due back in Falmouth on Saturday.

It set off on 4 January from Falmouth, after its previous operator Travelscope went into administration at Christmas.

Actress Shirley Anne Field, who appeared in the film Alfie with Michael Caine, was one of the passengers.

She told the BBC there had been a "fighting spirit" on board.

"They are exceptional, the British people, when thing like this happen," she said.

The Madeira Islands are an autonomous region of Portugal. <hr>

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