After more than 1,500 days trapped in India, a former Paratrooper is finally home.

John Armstrong is enjoying a drink in his local pub, a walk in the rain and time with his family as he adapts to life back in the UK - five years to the day since his prison nightmare started.

“I’m enjoying being home,” the 31-year-old told The Cumberland News in his first interview since his release. “I’m probably the only person enjoying the cold, wet weather.”

In total, John spent 859 days in a hell-hole prison, battling dehydration, malnutrition, poor sanitation and the daily dangers of snakes and rats during an intense legal battle to clear his name following a controversial arrest.

He spent a further 657 days trapped in India, technically a free man but with his passport withheld and the threat of a court case and prison hanging over him.

His family was delighted when John and the 34 crew members of the Seaman Guard Ohio - including five other Britons - were dramatically cleared of all charges last November.

Residents and businesses in his hometown of Wigton had fundraised and joined the fight for freedom, decking streets with yellow ribbons.

After spending time overseas, John is now home and has thanked those who helped him back.

He said: “I am so grateful to everybody who raised money, attended an event, wrote to me or signed a petition. I’m trying to thank people individually where possible, but my main focus now is on rebuilding my life with my family.”

It is not just Cumbrians who John feels he owes so much to, and admits he will spend the rest of his life trying to give something back to the charities which were there during his darkest days.

“The Mission to Seafarers in particular went above and beyond the call of duty in the help they gave not only to us in India, but to our families back home,” he said.

“They publicly called out the miscarriage of justice that was happening to us very early on when no-one else had, and they fought our corner time and again. They visited us in prison, visited our families at home and accompanied them to Downing Street and the Foreign Office.

“I owe them so much.”

John’s sister Joanne Thomlinson, who was among those who led the worldwide campaign to free the men, is delighted to have her brother home and said: “The whole time John was in India was an endurance test for all of us, but we’re really lucky to have got John back safe and well.

“This whole thing should never have happened. It was only right to to fight a huge injustice that was happening on such a large scale. Now our focus is on celebrating having John back and putting the whole ordeal behind us as we create new, happier memories.”

Interview: Page 6