Conrad Clitheroe , left , and Gary Cooper , right , were thrown in jail after being arrested for writing down aircraft registration numbers in Dubai . Three British men who have spent two months in prisons in Dubai and Abu Dhabi after they were seen plane spotting are to be freed . Conrad Clitheroe , 54 and Gary Cooper , 45 , from Stockport , along with their ex-pat friend Neil Munro were stopped by police for writing down aircraft registration numbers at Fujairah Airport . They were taken to a police station and despite being told they would not be detained , were put into prison . Families of the three men confirmed they had been told they would finally be able to return home and charges of espionage would not be brought against them . Attorney Nasser Hashem said the men would be free to go after the court accepted a defense argument that they were pursuing their passion for plane spotting and had no ill intent . The news means Mr Clitheroe , who suffers from a heart condition , will be able to return home to celebrate his first wedding anniversary with his wife Valerie on May 9 . She said : ' I am absolutely ecstatic . Apart from our wedding and the birth of my children this is the best day of my life . ' I just ca n't wait to see him , to hug him , to hold him . 'We got a call from the lawyer at 10am today to tell us he 'd been in court and the case had been dropped . 'We then confirmed it with the consulate . ' I am just so happy , we 've been ringing everyone to let them now . I 'm in a bit of shock too , I do n't feel like it can be real . 'How can you hold someone for that long with no charges ? I do n't understand it but I 'm so so glad . ' Earlier this month Mrs Clitheroe had raised concerns because her husband had run out of blood pressure medication . The men had travelled to Dubai for a four-day holiday on February 18 . All three friends were keen to see Fujairah Airport , which is used by older and rarer aircraft . They drove the 70-mile journey there on February 21 , but were stopped by an off-duty policeman after they slowed down to note the registration numbers of planes . Mr Clitheroe has always insisted they never took any photographs . Although plane spotting is not illegal in the United Arab Emirates , it is not understood and is frowned upon . Mr Clitheroe posted this picture on February 19 as he pursued his hobby at the Sheraton Deira Hotel in Dubai . The men were taken to a police station , where they were allegedly told they could only leave if they signed a form in Arabic saying they would not practise their hobby there again . But after signing the document , without asking for a translation , they were kept in custody overnight . They were brought before a prosecutor the next day and then moved to Fujairah Prison . Their case was escalated to a matter of 'national security ' . Sharing a cell with over 20 others , eating on the floor and forced to stare at the four walls for most of the day , the families were concerned about their welfare - particularly as Mr Clitheroe needs medication for his heart condition . Valerie Clitheroe ( pictured with her husband ) said both he and Mr Cooper had been keen plane spotters since boyhood and pleaded for their release . A judge last month extended their custody licence , which was up again on April 12 , but an admin error delayed the hearing until today . Mrs Clitheroe , who had recently written to the Prime minister for support , added : 'Conrad was beginning to think the worse and that they would never be released . Things had seemed to be so against them from the start that they thought it was going to end badly . 'We thought they would be charged with something and fined so it 's come as a shock that there are no charges at all . We had started planning to go out there to deal with the lawyers face to face . ' Mrs Clitheroe said the men had been keen plane spotters since they were children . The men were held after being seen by police writing down aircraft registration numbers at Fujairah Airport . The families of Mr Clitheroe and Mr Cooper were helped by charity 'Detained in Dubai ' to pay £9,000 for a lawyer to fight their case . A crowd-funding site set up by the men 's work colleagues has raised more than £5,000 . Today Radha Stirling , the founder of Detained in Dubai said charges of espionage against the trio had finally been dropped at the Supreme Court in Abu Dhabi . 'The charges are being dropped with no fines or penalties . They 've had a long time to wait to be told your case is ridiculous , ' said Ms Stirling .
Conrad Clitheroe , 45 , and Gary Cooper , 54 , were taken to a police station . They were told they would be allowed to leave if they signed Arabic form . But they were held in prison along with friend Neil Munro for two months . Officials confirmed today that charges of espionage against them dropped .