`That's great - we don't normally win'

There were scenes of astonishing jubilation in the Atlantic Ocean last night after Shell's sensational decision to abandon the dumping.

At 6.10pm, foghorns blasted from the Greenpeace vessel Solo as news of the decision filtered through. Campaigners leapt with joy as the two tugs towing the Brent Spar turned around and headed back towards the North Sea.

On the Brent Spar itself, the four Greenpeace activists who had been occupying the rig dismantled the explosives that Shell contractors had planted, released red flares in a victory salute and unfurled a huge Greenpeace banner.

One of the four told how he heard the news: "One of the others burst into the room screaming and shouting. He had heard Shell's announcement on his short wave radio. I immediately thought it was Shell or the police coming to get us. But he said `No, we won, we won!' I couldn't believe it. It's wonderful news. I think we'll have a few beers on this discarded piece of junk tonight."

There were jubilant scenes on board both Greenpeace vessels, the Solo and the Altair, which had been shadowing the rig ever since it began what was supposed to be its final journey.

Jonathan Castle, the skipper of the Altair who was charged with contempt of court earlier this month when he failed to reply to a court order against him obtained by the oil multinational, said: "That's absolutely marvellous news. Wow! We don't usually win things as quick or as well as this. I am very emotional. I think I'd better go and put the kettle on."

Mr Castle said that he hoped that Shell's decision would "prompt all oil companies and the Government to reconsider all plans to dump disused installations at sea.

"The people of Britain and Europe have shown that they will not accept this poisonous legacy. This is our ocean. It supports life and we depend on it. This is a great victory for the environment. I'm esctatic," he added.

The Solo had set off from Stornoway on Monday to join the flotilla tracking the slow progress of the rig to its planned dumping site. Watched by four oil protection vessels and a Royal Navy minesweeper, it had steamed through force eight winds and four-metre-high waves to stay close to the rig.

Early yesterday the Solo's crew watched as a helicopter piloted by American Paula Huckleberry dropped an Irishman and a Dane on to the rig to join two activists who had been there since last Friday. Ms Huckleberry flew low over the rig but was unable to land because of razor-wire strewn by Shell.

The two men jumped from the helicopter on to the rig, ready to stay until the bitter end with their two colleagues who were prepared for a showdown that never came.