Passengers onboard a P&O cruise ship reportedly used furniture and plates as weapons during a mass brawl sparked by an argument over a man dressed as a clown.

Families with children are said to have been forced to flee the scene onboard the vessel, which had left Bergen in Norway just 12 hours earlier.

Passengers suspected of being behind the violence were reportedly confined to their cabins on the last day of the cruise, before being greeted by Hampshire police when the ship docked in Southampton on Saturday morning.

Chief correspondent for ITV’s Good Morning Britain, Richard Gaisford, was on the cruise.

He wrote on Twitter: “One witness, part of a group involved in the trouble, explained to staff that things kicked off when another passenger appeared dressed as a clown.

“This upset one of their party because they’d specifically booked a cruise with no fancy dress. It led to a violent confrontation.”

Staff told Gaisford they had never seen anything like it, and one witness said “there was blood everywhere”.

Another passenger said: “I was in my room when the security tannoy happened at 2am.

“I saw two people being escorted out by police — police holding their belongings — limping.

“Just to clarify, the majority of those onboard were perfectly civilised and nice individuals. It was just ruined by a few drunk idiots.”

A P&O Cruises spokesman said: “Following an incident on board Britannia on Thursday evening we can confirm that all guests have now disembarked and the matter is now in the hands of the local police.”

Hampshire police said: “Officers are in attendance after a number of people were assaulted on-board a cruise ship.

“The incident took place during the early hours of Friday, 26 July on-board P&O’s Britannia while it was enroute to Southampton from Bergen.

“Investigations are ongoing.”