A LUXURY cruise ship, based in Southampton, drifted for almost an hour after a fire took hold of its engine room.

P&O Cruises ship Aurora was in the mid-Atlantic in the early hours of Thursday morning sailing for the Azores when the blaze caused it lose electricity and propulsion.

The fire was eventually extinguished after burning for almost an hour.

The ship, which left Southampton on a Canadian and US tour on August 27 with around 2,000 passengers, is now using emergency generators.

P&O Cruises has been contacted for a comment.

It is due to dock in Southampton on September 26.