SIX-AND-A-HALF years of agony and anguish came to a joyful, tearful and dramatic end for a New Forest family in the arrivals area of London's Heathrow Airport last night.

Businessman George Atkinson, 53, finally stepped back on to British soil after a nightmare spell in prison in Dubai.

He was jailed by the Dubai Criminal Court over dealings attached to the building of golf courses.

Mr Atkinson, from Rockbourne near Fordingbridge, protested his innocence from the day he was arrested - March 1, 1997 - and after disembarking from United Arab Emirates Flight EK 005 he was still insisting: "I don't feel I was treated fairly, but I don't want to say any more at this stage."

He was swamped by the hugs, kisses and tears from his wife Helene and daughters Alice, 25, and Nina, 23, who had been campaigning for his release ever since he was locked up.

He said: "They are unbelievable - the best family in the world. They have worked so hard. I am just so grateful to them and to all the people who have been working over here for my release. I knew it would happen one day, but was never quite sure when."

His barrister David Hood confirmed that he was not absolutely certain of his release - and the deportation from Dubai that went with it - until 2pm yesterday afternoon, just two hours before his flight was due to leave.

The Atkinson family's nightmare began on March 1, 1997, after he had gone to Dubai to watch a tournament on one of the golf courses built by his company, Golf Landscape Services.

His course-building work had ended three-and-a-half years earlier and he had gone back to see how it was all settling down. He was arrested shortly after arriving and was eventually charged with paying bribes and defrauding the Government of Dubai.

Twenty-two months of legal battling finally came to an end on December 13, 1998, when he was sent to prison for six years and fined £1.3 million.

His appeals were rejected and the prison sentence was extended by six months - until yesterday - because the fine was not paid.

He protested his innocence at his trials in the Dubai Criminal Court and his family explored every possible avenue to secure his release.

One politician who fought their corner was Euro MEP Roy Perry, who last night spoke of his "delight" at the end to the long-running saga and praised Mrs Atkinson for her campaigning.

The Dubai Government insisted it had dealt with Mr Atkinson's case justly and a spokesman said: "He did receive a fair trial."