text: 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 can'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 don't feel like it can be real. 'How can you hold someone for that long with no charges? I don'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.
target: Conrad Clitheroe, 54, and Gary Cooper, 45, 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 .