THE South Lakeland business-man in a Turkish jail facing charges of smuggling antiquities will have to wait another three weeks for his trial.

Paul Cleasby, 43, from Windermere, is due in court on Monday, November 8, when his family expect him to plead not guilty.

Pressure was mounting this week on the Turkish authorities to speed Mr Cleasby's case, as he has already been in detention for nearly three weeks.

Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Tim Collins has set down a written Parliamentary question for Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, to which he is expecting an answer next week.

He has asked Mr Straw to make a statement about Mr Cleasby's arrest, to state what the Government has done to make representations to the Turkish authorities on his behalf, and to outline what help and advice the Government will give Mr Cleasby's family.

Mr Collins said that in other countries in the European Union, which Turkey is now negotiating to join, someone accused of a crime like Mr Cleasby's might expect to have his passport confiscated while the matter was dealt with, rather than spend weeks in prison.

Mr Cleasby was arrested on September 27, at Antalya airport, while returning from holiday after attempting to bring home a rock to use as a garden ornament.

See New - Focus to read about Mr Cleasby's account of life in Antalya jail.