Coronavirus: Stranded cruise ship worker home after being stuck in the Philippines

The sound engineer had sometimes sent 24 hours a day quarantined in his cabin

A British cruise ship worker who was stuck in lockdown on a vessel in the Philippines for four months has finally come home.

Eddy O'Brien, 25, of Accrington, Lancashire, was stranded on one of 18 cruise ships moored off Manila.

He said spending 130 days in lockdown with some of it quarantined in a cabin for 24 hours a day had been "tough".

When he arrived at Manchester Airport he said he planned to "put my feet up" and have his "mum's shepherd's pie".

More than 3,000 passengers were repatriated after leaving the ship on 18 March but crew members had to quarantine on board and then travel restrictions delayed their return.

Mr O'Brien said he was looking forward to enjoying home comforts including his "mum's shepherd's pie"

"We had confirmed [Covid-19] cases on board the ship. The ship went into full quarantine... and we were stuck in cabins 24 hours a day for 14 days," sound engineer Mr O'Brien said.

He said it was "tough on mental heath".

His mother gave him big hug when he arrived at the airport.

"It's great to see him... but look at his beard. [It] needs a bit of attention I think," Jo-Ann O'Brien said.

Jo-Ann O'Brien gave her son a big hug when finally got home

He said now he is home his priorities were "shoes off, feet up, maybe have a bath and just relax" as well as enjoy the "northern weather".

However, his mother had other ideas.

"I've not had anyone make me a cup of tea for 10 months," she said.