P&O liner damaged in bad storms

P&O cruise liner Artemis can carry up to 1,260 passengers

A P&O cruise liner on its way from Southampton to the Caribbean has been forced into port for repairs after being damaged in stormy weather.

Artemis, which is carrying 1,188 passengers, made an unscheduled call at Falmouth, Cornwall, to undergo work.

A P&O spokeswoman said the damage to the anchor stowage area would not affect safety but repairs were needed before the ship headed to the Atlantic.

Parts of the UK have been battered by storms since early on Monday.

The damage does not affect the safety of the ship in any way P&O spokeswoman

The spokeswoman said the damage was towards the front of the bow and could not be seen externally.

A small boat would sail out to Artemis to carry out the repairs, she added.

The vessel, the smallest of the P&O Cruises fleet, left Southampton 12 hours behind schedule at 2145 GMT on Tuesday, due to the recent bad weather.

'Storms easing'

"Due to minor damage to her anchor stowage area sustained during the inclement weather on the passage from Southampton, Artemis will make a short unscheduled call into Falmouth to undergo repair," the spokeswoman continued.

"The damage does not affect the safety of the ship in any way."

She said it was hoped Artemis would be ready to leave by Wednesday evening.

On Sunday, P&O Ferries cancelled its sailing from Portsmouth to Bilbao, Spain, and the return journey on Tuesday, due to the storms.

Latest forecasts show strong winds have begun to ease as the worst of the storms gradually move away.