THE nightmare is finally over for under-siege chef Camille Chehab as well as thousands of other Britons, now ferried to safety by the Royal Navy.

HMS York was among a fleet of ships sailing back and forth between war-torn Lebanon and Cyprus in the rescue operation.

Speaking from the ship, HMS York's commanding officer, Commander Tim Cryar, said: "My ship's company of 250 men and women are focussed on providing all necessary support and help to these UK entitled personnel."

The ship arrived in Akrotiri, Cyprus, last night carrying about 700 Britons.

Meanwhile, North Yorkshire restaurateur Camille and his fiance Misha were two of thousands of evacuees crammed into wardrooms and corridors aboard the HMS Bulwark The vast Albion-class assault ship, capable of holding 5,000 people, drew alongside the port of Beirut yesterday, just before 9.30am UK time, 11.30am local time.

Every open space on board was filled with Britons fleeing the chaos and violence of the past eight days.

Camille finally boarded the Bulwark just after 3pm UK time and was due to arrive in the Cypriot port of Limassol today. From there, he will fly home to Newton-on-Ouse to be reunited with his three teenage daughters.

On Wednesday, The Press exclusively revealed Camille's plight, trapped in the city as bombs literally exploded around him.

Camille, who has run the kitchen in the Blacksmith's Arms in Newton-on-Ouse for the last nine years, had travelled to Lebanon to finalise his wedding arrangements, only days before the conflict unexpectedly erupted.

Lesley Mimms, landlady of the Blacksmith's Arms, said Camille had been bombarded with text messages from well-wishers.

She said his friends and family couldn't wait to see him, and he had told them he expected to be back in Britain today.

Among the Britons rescued from Beirut on board the HMS York were Abir Walid Alwan and her two young children.

Marine engineer Lieutenant Commander Simon Day, who cradled two-year-old Ayah Jawhar in his arms as the ship set sail, said: "I can only begin to understand the difficulties of bringing two children through this upheaval by their mother on her own."