The fiance of a former Scottish soldier who has spent more than four years in prison in India has told of her relief after being told he is finally free to return home.

Billy Irving is one of six British men who were imprisoned in India for the last four years and have now been found not guilty -- after winning their court appeal.

The six were first jailed on weapons charges while working as security guards on ships combating piracy in the Indian Ocean in 2013.

The families of the men will now wait to hear when they will be allowed home after receiving the news this morning (Mon).

Loved ones of the British men, in prison in Chennai, have been campaigning for their release since they were arrested in October more than four years ago.

Former soldier Billy Irving, from Connel in Argyll and Bute, was among six men jailed on weapons charges.

Speaking of Billy's release his fiance, Yvonne MacHugh, said: "I am absolutely over the moon.

"I am just so relieved. I can't believe it. I really didn't think it was going to go our way after everything."

She now hopes her partner will be home in time for Christmas, to spend it with his son, who has only ever seen him in the Indian prison.

She said: "It's finally all over. All 35 men have been acquitted of all charges and should be coming home as soon as possible.

"The hope is now they will get home for Christmas. Ideally, I want him home tomorrow.

"After four years and all the hard work, it's all paid off.

"William is at nursery just now, so as soon as he is finished I am going to get him on Facetime and tell him the good news.

"I just can't wait to get home and give him the biggest hug ever."

The 29-year-old mother to the couple's son William returned from a six-day trip to India on November 19.

Miss MacHugh, from Neilston, Renfrewshire, said the men had all the necessary paperwork for the weapons at the time and "everything was above board and legal".

The five other men are Nick Dunn, 31, of Northumberland, John Armstrong, 30, of Wigton, Cumbria, Nicholas Simpson, 47, of Catterick, North Yorkshire, Ray Tindall, 42, of Chester, and Paul Towers, 54, of Pocklington, East Yorkshire.

A statement on the Chennai 6 Facebook page said: "The Appeal Court has today found all 35 men NOT GUILTY we now wait to hear as and when the men will be allowed home to their families.

"This may take some time whilst the authorities decide whether they agree with the outcome or wish to appeal.

"If they wish to appeal the men might be released from prison but not allowed back to the UK.

"But the families are understandable delighted that finally common sense and justice has prevailed."

A petition signed by more than 400,000 people was delivered to Downing Street by Miss MacHugh and four-year-old William last month.

And earlier this year, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said the UK would "leave no stone unturned'' in a bid to secure their release.

In 2013 the Indian coastguard boarded the men's vessel, the MV Seaman Guard Ohio, and arrested them for taking weapons into India's territorial waters.

Indian customs officials and police found 35 guns, including semi-automatic weapons, and almost 6,000 rounds of ammunition.

The charges were initially quashed when the men argued the weapons were lawfully held for anti-piracy purposes and their paperwork, issued by the UK Government, was in order.

But a lower court reinstated the prosecution and they were convicted in January last year and sentenced to five years in prison.

Since then there has been a series of appeals as the families navigate the Indian legal system.