Oil man 'ecstatic' at family reunion

The family spent their first day together on Tuesday

Ally Taylor, the Scottish oil worker held captive for two years, has told BBC Scotland about his joy at being re-united with his family.

On Tuesday he spent his first full day with his family since being freed last Friday.

It was the first time in two years that he was able to spend time with his Colombian wife, Martha Valencia, and four-year-old son, Alecito.

Mr Taylor said he had been overwhelmed by the reception laid on by his family in Inverurie, Aberdeenshire.

Mr Taylor said he was taking things "one day at a time"

He said: "Ecstatic. It's absolutely fantastic, and they all came out the house and they were all standing waiting.

"That was it over, that was it. I got hold of them and they got hold of me, and that was it, I was home. That was it over, there's no other way to describe it, that was it just over.

"The nightmare was finished. And it was a nightmare for them. It was a nightmare for everybody."

The 47-year-old flew into Aberdeen Airport via London on Monday with his brother Charlie, on the final leg of his emotional journey home.

He had been kidnapped by the armed group, the National Liberation Army or ELN on 27 August, 1999, as he took a taxi to work in Colombia.

Mr Taylor was working for Texas-based oil firm Weatherford.

He was released on Friday and flown to Bogota, where he spent the weekend at the British ambassador's residence

The rebels had reportedly asked for $3m for Mr Taylor's release.

'Pandemonium'

However, the British Ambassador, Jeremy Thorp, refused to comment on reports that a ransom had been paid.

Mr Taylor, on Tuesday, said he was still coming to terms with his freedom.

"Basically it's been pandemonium, so right now, I still feel everything's in the clouds," he said.

"It's when I come back down to earth, that will take a little bit of time, but with everyone around about me I've got a good parachute and they will take me down slowly. Everybody will look after me."

And asked about the future, Mr Taylor said he had no idea what he wanted to do.

However, he added: "Just take one day at a time."