THE children of a Wirral couple held in Venezuela on drug smuggling charges are back home.

Paul Makin and Laura Webb, both 31, were stopped at an airport in Margarita with cocaine allegedly hidden in their luggage.

While the couple went to prison to await trial their two year-old twins and Laura Webb’s son and daughter from a previous relationship were taken to a care home.

Yesterday Birkenhead postman Eddie Shirley, 32, told of his 5,000 mile journey to rescue Jack, 10, and Megan, eight, together with his former partner’s twins.

Mr Shirley also told of his anger when he confronted Paul Makin.

In an interview with a Sunday newspaper, Mr Shirley said: “His greed and stupidity resulted in four innocent children being dumped in an orphanage thousands of miles from home where no one speaks English.

“What sort of man takes four children on a smuggling run in a Third World country?

“They looked terrible, still in the shorts and vest tops they'd obviously worn during the holiday.”

Mr Shirley is understood to be seeking a temporary care order.