A SHIP'S captain from the North-East has told how he fought off Somali pirates when his vessel came under attack.

Captain Peter Stapleton and his crew have been hailed heroes after they used threw planks of wood and used hoses as water cannons to fend off the attackers.

The captain of two decades was guiding the freighter through the Arabian Sea when they came under fire.

The first sign of trouble came when Capt Stapleton saw two unidentified blips on the radar heading towards his ship, the MV Boularibank, at high speed.

He prayed his instincts were wrong and the mystery boats, 200 miles from the nearest land, and hoped fishing vessels were heading their way.

But he soon saw the pirates, armed with rocket-propelled grenades and AK47 assault rifles, and they began spraying bullets at his ship.

All was well on the first legs of the voyage from Hull, around Europe, on to Tahiti through the Panama Canal, to New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Singapore and Malaysia.

Entering the 'dark passage' which would take MV Boularibank through the Gulf of Arabia via Somalian waters, Capt Stapleton sensed trouble.

For the first time, he today feels able to recount the ordeal which left his 550-ft cargo freighter gaping with bullet-holes and mortar damage.

Capt Stapleton, 56, of South Shields, said: "I first spotted them on the radar, and sensed trouble was coming our way.

"The two boats were heading towards us at about 26 knots, which is fast, while we were at about 15 knots, so they approached quickly.

"I hoped they were just fishermen so my heart sank when I saw a grenade launcher slung over one of their shoulders.

"One boat had three men and the other had four and I could see they had a ladder with a hooked end for climbing on board. I knew they would try and get on our ship."

The pirates first approached Boularibank from behind, before making two failed bids to hijack the ship from the port and starboard sides.

"All I was thinking was 'don't let them on', 'don't let them on'" said Capt Stapleton.

"I knew if they get on board, you are in deep trouble. We couldn't let them on deck, we had to do everything we could to keep them out.

"Blocks of wood we have lashed to the sides of the boat were dropped down onto the pirates stop them, and cause an obstruction in the water for their outboard engines.

"On the bridge, I was weaving the ship in order to create a wash so it would be harder for the pirates to try and come aside and get on deck.

"One of their grenades exploded above the bridge and the noise was terrible. We were being sprayed with bullets. I'll be honest, we were all trembling.

"I was glad to say the least when it came to an end because we were running out of ideas to fend them off.

"I'm not sure we could have handled another attack."

Capt Stapleton, a captain told how the ship was just one day outside safe waters of the UN International Security Patrol Area.

And how desperate mayday calls to the closest ship, a Russian navy destroyer, led to the promise of a mercy helicopter which never arrived.

The zone is considered a safe passage for crews to approach the Suez Canal, as warships from various naval units patrol for bandits.

"We were really on our own out there because there was nothing or no-one who could help us.

"Adrenalin kicked in and I wanted to protect all on board including young cadets."

A combined effort by the 42 crew on board, including paying passengers and a mainly Russian crew, has been praised by shipping bosses.

A spokesman for Boularibank's owners, London-based Andrew Weir Shipping, thanked Capt Stapleton for his 'textbook conduct'.

He said: "The captain remained very calm. He zig-zagged the cargo vessel and picked up speed to create a bigger wash to keep the two smaller boats at bay.

"They then used timber on board to disperse the boats which then made-off."

A Russian Navy destroyer captured the "mother-ship" harbouring the 29 suspected pirates on the day of the attack against Boularibank, on April 28.

The ship began heading towards England after the attack.

According to the Russian Defence Ministry, the interception by the Admiral Panteleyev took place 15 miles off shore and a number of assault rifles and handguns, along with satellite equipment and ammunition, were found onboard.

Capt Stapleton makes the round-the-world voyage twice a year, each one taking four-and-a-half-months. His wife May, 57, accompanied him on the fateful trip.

The couple, who have a daughter, Elaine, 22, will be back at sea in August after a period of leave on land.

He added: "This hasn't put me off. We'll just be more prepared next time."