The QE2 was poised to leave in triumph on her final voyage tonight having endured a less-than-glorious entry into her home port of Southampton earlier today.

With strong westerly winds blowing, the 70,000-tonne Cunard liner ended up running aground on the Brambles sandbank off the Isle of Wight.

Five tugs and a rising tide combined to get the liner, with 2,700 passengers and crew aboard, afloat with the ship docking more than an hour late at Southampton.

Luckily she arrived in good time for a visit from the Duke of Edinburgh.

The Harrier bows to the QE2 Passengers aboard spoke of a large shudder when it went aground with some suggesting the vessel seemed reluctant to sail into her home port for the last time ahead of tonight's final 16-day voyage from Southampton to Dubai.

"The boat rocked. We thought it had hit something," said Gloria Dunkley, from Poole, who was travelling with her husband Tony.

"We were not too alarmed as no bells were rung. Passengers were muttering about the ship not wanting to be taken out of service."