Two weeks after her son Peter Moore was dramatically released from his hostage ordeal in Iraq, Mrs Sweeney got the call she longed for.

Closely supervised by Foreign Office workers at a secret safe house, Mr Moore, who who was kidnapped with four other men in 2007, rang his mother.

In the emotional moment, the former hostage told his 54-year-old mother how he had been badly treated for more than two years of his captivity, but that he had access to a TV and a computer, with one computer game, for the last six months.

Mrs Sweeney said: "It was late last week when I got the phone call.
"It was a very quiet, private call and so surreal.

"Hearing his voice was just unbelievable, even though it was quite brief.

"It was the end of a living nightmare to hear it, and know he is safe."

Mrs Sweeney, of Fairhomes Way, added: "Peter is in a safe house, as he is obviously finding it quite difficult to cope with the transition.
"He told me he spent more than two years badly treated and so he is undergoing intensive counselling.

"He wasn't able to tell me much, but he told me that for the final six months, he had a computer, with one game, and a TV.

"The Foreign Office is closely monitoring his contact with the outside world, and what Peter will be worried about now is how he will cope when he is inundated by everybody wanting to talk to him.

"Once he has adapted I will be delighted to meet with him, but for now, he needs time."

Lincoln-based Mr Moore was in Iraq working on an IT contract with the Finance Ministry when he was kidnapped in 2007.

He was snatched together with security guards Jason Creswell, 39, Jason Swindlehurst, 38, Alan McMenemy, and Alec MacLachlan. He is now being questioned by Metropolitan Police, who are investigating the murders of all the other captives.

The bodies of Mr Creswell, Mr Swindlehurst, and Mr MacLachlan were handed to British authorities earlier in the year. The Foreign Office believes Mr McMenemy is also dead.

Mrs Sweeney added: "It has been a horrific few years but now I wake up on a high."

In a statement, Mr Moore said: "I'm delighted to have returned to the UK and to have been reunited with my family.

"I'm looking forward to spending the coming days and weeks catching up on all the things I've missed over the past two and a half years."