Royal tapestry missing after QE2 party

Thousands of pounds-worth of damage has allegedly been caused to tapestries on the QE2 when an alcohol-fuelled staff party got out of hand last month.

Several tapestries were damaged and one - depicting members of the royal family - is missing, believed to have been thrown overboard from the cruise liner in mid-Atlantic.

Three crew members were sacked and arrested by police on suspicion of criminal damage when the QE2 docked at Southampton on Saturday following a three-month world cruise.

They were questioned at the city's Central police station about damage to three tapestries depicting royal scenes. A portrait of the Queen was also badly damaged during the alleged incident following what was meant to be an end-of-cruise staff party.

A Hampshire police spokesman said yesterday: "The three men detained on suspicion of causing damage on the QE2 have been bailed to return to a police station on May 26."

The men, in their early 20s, have been released on bail pending further investigations. Police said they would contact passengers in an effort to find witnesses.

Damage was also caused to the entertainment area, crew toilets and a lifeboat on the cruise liner during the early morning incident.

A spokesman for Cunard, the owner of the QE2, said: "We can confirm that an incident occurred on board during the night of April 14. Three crew members were subsequently dismissed."

The incident took place while the vessel was in international waters and the crew members were handed over to the police when the liner docked.

The police spokesman said: "There is a real possibility that a tapestry has been thrown overboard. It may be picked up by a trawler or a fisherman, or may wash up on a local foreshore. If anyone finds it they should report it to us immediately."