UPDATED 10PM: Three astronauts who have spent the last six months on board the International Space Station are now back on Earth.

Hooks attaching the Soyuz craft to the space station were released about 4 hours ago, freeing the vehicle that took the men into orbit on December 15.

The astronauts have had a hair-raising plunge through the atmosphere in the tiny middle section of the Soyuz - their descent module.

Their descent took just over 3 hours - they landed in Kazakhstan about 45 minutes ago.