A JOURNALIST from Shebbear and an activist from Winkleigh who were charged with piracy after a Greenpeace protest at an oil rig in Russia have returned to Britain.

Freelance videographer Kieron Bryan, who now lives in London, and Alex Harris, who now lives in Australia, were among five Britons held in Russia following arrests on the Greenpeace icebreaker Arctic Sunrise at an offshore drilling rig in September.

They had faced charges of hooliganism with the rest of the crew and were held in jail, first in the city of Murmansk and then St Petersburg.

Both Miss Harris and Mr Bryan were released on bail in November, and are back in Britain following their release from prison.

Following his release on bail, Mr Bryan was visited by his girlfriend Nancy Thornburn in St Petersburg.

An hour after their reunion, Mr Bryan proposed, with Nancy agreeing to marry him.

All foreign crew members and activists aboard the Arctic Sunrise have now left Russia, including one other activist from Devon, Iain Rogers.