LAUGHING and joking, it is hard to imagine these four men have just been through the most stressful ordeal of their young lives.

Accused of beating Rob Hughes into a coma while on holiday in Malia in 2008, they returned to Crete to answer serious assault charges after losing their battle to avoid extradition.

Now back home, after being granted bail, George Hollands, Daniel Bell, Curtis Taylor and Sean Branton are trying to pick up their lives. However, they still face the prospect of returning when the case resumes, possibly early next year, when they will learn their fate.

Meeting at the home Curtis shares with his partner Zoe Illman and twin two-year-old sons in Horley, the men talked candidly about their week inside a Greek prison.

"There were 44 men inside one cell and only 28 beds," said Sean, 21.

"People were on the floor or doubling up in bed," added George, 22. "We had a rota where we kept swapping, so one night we'd be on the bed and the next on the floor."

As well as the cramped sleeping conditions, while awaiting a court date, the men faced threats from inmates, "inedible" food and grim washing facilities.

"It was pretty horrendous," said Daniel, 21. "The amount of people who came up to us when we were in our cupboard (cell). They all told us not to trust anyone. We were all so nervous."

Even after the judge granted bail they still had to spend a night in a maximum security prison among the company of murderers while their families struggled to secure the bail money, which ranged from 3,000 to 12,000 euros.

The quartet and the fifth accused friend, Ben Herdman, 21, stuck together while they were incarcerated, but say they feared for their lives.

Curtis, 21, a painter and decorator, said: "We had a close encounter with a Russian gang member. He linked my arm and tried to drag me into his cell."

To protect themselves the friends made sure they were not alone when they showered or visited the toilet.

On another occasion, an Albanian inmate "squared up" to Sean and Curtis. "I really didn't want any trouble," said Sean. "I just wanted to keep my head down."

But the men are quick to point out that some of the inmates and, in particular, the prison guards looked after them. "It was just the conditions that were horrible," said Sean.

"Compared to Greek prisons, English ones are a walk in the park," said George, a plumber.

The friends had not been expecting to be granted bail or to be allowed back to the UK.

Daniel said: "We could hear raised voices between our lawyer and the judge and we thought it was not good. Then he came out all stone-faced and said 'it's good news'."

To celebrate their release the families booked into a nearby five-star hotel, which overlooked the prison where they had stayed.

"One minute we were in the prison and the next we were jumping around in the pool – we couldn't believe it," said George.

The men now plan to get on with their lives and wait to see what happens with their case.

George said: "Now we just want to get back to normality."