Mr David Halpin, 62, and his crew on the MV Barbara left Torbay at the beginning of the month.

At the weekend they sailed into an Israeli port and since then they have journeyed in lorries into Gaza City.

The 55 tonnes of aid, including 40 tonnes of flour, Cheddar cheese, edible oils, milk powder, waste wool for weaving and £1,500 worth of medical dressings, is being distributed to about 2,000 families.

Each package contains a card bearing the words, in English and Arabic, With love from the Dove and Dolphin and the people of Britain.

Heading home

Mr Halpin, of Haytor, Dartmoor, paid £95,000 to charter the Danish-registered vessel and received about £24,000 in donations.

He said that despite the bureaucracy, hitches and hold-ups, the mission had been a success.

He felt "proud" at what they had achieved, and he was planning further visits.

With Mr Halpin are 24-year-old Stuart Lawley, from Dorset, who works for the Centre for Adolescent Rehabilitation; musician John Maughan, 55, from Boscastle, Cornwall, and John Hinley, 51, a trawler skipper from Brixham, Devon.

Most of the team are now due to fly back to London, and should be back home on Thursday.