A TIMPERLEY Marine has told a press conference some of the details of the events when he and 14 other marines were captured by Iranians.

Royal Marine Captain Chris Air said he and his team had little time to make a decision when confronted by the Iranians.

"We are aware that many people have questioned why we allowed ourselves to be taken in the first place and why we allowed ourselves to be shown by the Iranian authorities on television," he told the press conference.

"Let me be absolutely clear, from the outset it was very apparent that fighting back was simply not an option.

"Had we chosen to do so then many of us would not be standing here today. Of that I have no doubts.

"Fighting back would have caused a major international incident and an escalation of tension within the region," he said.

Chris and his colleagues were captured in the gulf on March 23.

Earlier Chris's mum Sally spoke of her family's joy at hearing the news of their release.

She said: "We are just ecstatic and can't put into words what we feel. As parents the source of your greatest joy and pain come from the same place, your children.

"The last few weeks have been a living hell and a constant battle to stay positive.

"Everyday we would wake up and ask if it was really happening, during the first hours after the news that they had been captured we just kept hoping it was a mistake.

"Our lives totally stopped but I found out Chris and his colleagues were going to be released it took my breath away.

"The family have been frantic. Stuart our youngest son is on a gap year in Australia and didn't know if he should come home."

Capt Air joined the Royal Marines in August 2004.

Sally added: "Chris is sensitive, he is very caring and very committed to friends, he is a real team player.

"He is never happier than when he is with friends or colleagues. He has thrived in the Royal Marines because of the aspect of teamwork.

"And he has clung to that because from the footage on the television they didn't seem to have been separated. He doesn't cope well with isolation and that was one of our worst fears that he would be kept alone. I didn't think I could of felt so much pain."

Describing their reaction to seeing the video footage of Capt Air and a number of the other hostages which was broadcast on Iranian television, she said: "When the first pictures came out we were relieved that Faye Tunney and the other personnel appeared to be in good shape.

"But then we realised that there was only a few of them and that the scene could be stage-managed. We are very grateful to the Iranian government for what they have done."

Throughout the crisis Britain has insisted the Royal Navy personnel were in Iraqi not Iranian waters.

But despite the release of the captives, Iran maintain their stance that the Britons had been trespassing in Iranian waters.

At the news conference when Iranian President Mr Ahmadinejad announced the release of the hostages he also awarded medals to the commanders who captured them.