A RUBERY dad and his son say they are lucky to be alive after spending nearly 22 hours at sea when their ferry got caught in the weekend's freak weather.

Trevor Neason, aged 41, of Leach Heath Lane, was returning from taking his eleven-year-old son Adam to Disneyland, in Paris, and boarded the ferry at Calais on Sunday at 5pm English time.

The voyage from the French port to Dover should have taken 90 minutes but storms whipped up the sea and made it impossible for the ferry, The Kent, to make headway. They arrived back in England on Monday at 2.20pm.

Trevor and his son watched as plates and crockery were flung around the vessel, which was rocked from side to side, and people ran around screaming.

Because of overcrowding the pair were forced onto the lower deck.

He said: "I just sat there -- they were the longest hours of my life because I didn't think we would make it.

"Now and again I looked out of the door and I have never seen such high waves. I thought the ferry was going to tip over.

When we landed I have never felt such relief."

Trevor's wife, Cathie, sat at home and watched the boat's plight on national news.

A P&O Stenna Line spokesman said passengers were told of delays and bad weather at Calais and had the choice to travel.

She said the ferry was taken to a sheltered bay near Dover and it was safer to wait until the waters were calmer before letting passengers off.