Gillian Gibbons, the British teacher jailed in Sudan for insulting Islam in a row over a teddy bear, tonight landed in Dubai on her way back home after being pardoned by the country’s President.

The 54-year-old mother-of-two left Sudan landed at 8.45pm (UK time) and said: “I just want to relax, I don’t want to say any more. I’m too tired."

During the flight, eyes shining with a mixture of elation and exhaustion, she chatted with the embassy security officer in the seat beside her, planning what she would do on her return.

For dinner she was provided with Arabic mezze, including kalamata olives, artichoke salad, moutabel and shanklish, followed by a main course of grilled Iranian chicken kebabs.

Ms Gibbons then pushed back a wide seat and dozed for most of the four-hour flight.

Baroness Warsi, speaking on the plane, told The Times: "This has been a very difficult week for Gillian and she has come out of it amazingly well. We all just feel delighted and privileged in playing our part in securing her release and we are all looking forward to getting home."

Ms Gibbons was also accompanied by Lord Ahmet, the other peer who had helped win her freedom, and British embassy officials.

She is expected to arrive home to a jubilant family welcome early tomorrow morning.

Ms Gibbons was released into the care of the British Embassy in Khartoum after receiving an official pardon from Omar al-Bashir earlier today. Her release followed 48 hours of negotiations between Sudanese officials and two British Muslim peers, Lord Ahmed of Rotherham and Baroness Warsi.

This afternoon, Baroness Warsi, who along with Lord Ahmed is believed to be accompanying Ms Gibbons home, said that the teacher should be back in the UK by tomorrow.

Baroness Warsi said Ms Gibbons was in good humour and had shared "lots of Yorkshire jokes" with the two peers. All three are originally from Yorkshire.

The Foreign Secretary David Miliband said he had spoken to Ms Gibbons who was delighted to be returning home. "I am very pleased to report that she is in remarkably good spirits. She said to me that she was a little overwhelmed by the amount of coverage that there has been, but she was elated to be on her way back home," he said.

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