The offer of help from two British Royal Navy vessels was rejected by a proud Bermuda, as the Island struggled through the aftermath of the worst storm for 50 years alone.

HMS Manchester and RFA Waveknight - the Royal Navy's Atlantic Patrol Taskforce - were travelling to Bermuda territory to offer their assistance but Premier Alex Scott revealed that they were turned back yesterday.

"It was an excellent gesture by the UK and the Royal Navy in offering assistance and supplies," said Mr. Scott at a press conference last night.

"But Bermuda has risen to the occasion and we politely declined the offer."

Acting Governor Nick Carter announced over the weekend that Britain was prepared to offer assistance to the Island if it was required.

The two ships had been expected to arrive later today bringing vital supplies of tents, blankets and dried foods to the Island.

HMS Manchester, a Type 42 destroyer, left Dockyard only last month for a four month deployment from Bermuda to Trinidad and Tobago to work with the US Coast Guard in the war against drugs in the area, as well as providing possible disaster relief in the event of hurricanes.

Mr. Scott also revealed that he had received offers of assistance from the Prime Minister of Jamaica and other leaders of Caribbean nations.

"It is at moments like this, you find out who your friends are," he said proudly.

"We have been very impressed with the offers of help to Bermuda."

In terms of personnel, the only overseas help to be received has come from the Cayman Islands via Tampa with between 20 and 32 linesmen expected to arrive tomorrow to help carry out repairs with pole line repair.

The workers are coming in as part of BELCO's reciprocal arrangement with the Caribbean Electric Association, where in times of great need workers from each nations' power suppliers can readily be sent abroad. The arrangement to bring in these workers was agreed before the onslaught of Fabian.

Government spokeswoman Nea Talbot also revealed that the Bermuda hurricane crisis had prompted many other offers of help from overseas.

Charity World Vision, which is currently working in Liberia and Iraq among other projects, called Government to offer assistance with blankets, tents and other supplies while two US companies, from South Carolina and Florida, also called to offer to send over generators to the Island.

Insurance giant XL Capital Ltd did fly in a private jet to Bermuda last night with ten generators, stocks of batteries, and 200 tarpaulin sheets to repair homes.

Media interest in the Island from all over the globe has persisted with North American papers paying particular interest. Britain's infamous Sunday tabloids have focused on the damage to Ariel Sands Hotel because of its part-ownership by screen legend Michael Douglas.