Passengers on the British cruise ship Balmoral went through a harrowing ordeal as the vessel sailed across the notoriously rough Bay of Biscay during a storm. Battered by 50ft waves, a luxury liner lurches through a force nine gale as a cruise turns into a nightmare.

Two Brits among the 1,340 tourists on the Balmoral suffered broken bones after atrocious weather in the Bay of Biscay.

They were recovering last night after being airlifted to hospital in La Coruna, north west Spain. Fed-up Caroline Richmond, who paid around £750 for the 10-night trip, said: “Everyone feels sick.”

The Fred Olsen liner was forced to cancel stops at Lisbon and Tangier but is due back in Dover.