READERS of The Wesmorland Gazette have come forward in their hundreds to back the campaign to free a South Lakeland man from a Turkish jail.

Almost 400 people showed their support by signing the Bail Not Jail forms, urging the Turkish authorities to release Paul Cleasby, 43, while he awaits his trial.

MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale Tim Collins personally delivered forms signed by 324 readers to the Turkish Embassy, in London, on Wednesday. A further 45 people signed forms that arrived too late to be sent to Mr Collins, but they will be posted on to the Embassy with a covering letter.

Mr Cleasby, who has been accused of smuggling antiquities, has now been in jail for approaching five weeks, and his trial is not due to start until November 8.

Among the Bail Not Jail forms was a petition from a shop in Torrisholme, near Lancaster, and a large number of signatures from readers in Preston. Some signatories added notes to the forms such as "God bless", or comments about how Mr Cleasby was not someone who would knowingly commit a crime.

Bail Not Jail has also attracted publicity from other media throughout the week.

Mr Collins said that, unfortunately, the Turkish Ambassador to the UK, His Excellency Akin Alptuna, was not able to meet him on Wednesday, but a member of staff was handed the forms and undertook to pass them directly to the Ambassador, together with a supporting letter from Gazette editor/publisher Mike Glover.

Mr Collins said: "Knowing a bit about how embassies operate, I have no doubt whatsoever they will be contacting the authorities back home in Turkey to check what the circumstances are, and secondly to let them know this is a campaign which is continuing to gather force over here.

"Very nearly 400 (signatures) is very, very good indeed and that shows the depth of support for what everyone's been saying he should not be left languishing in jail for week after week after week for a non-violent offence of this nature."

One person who signed a Bail Not Jail form added a note to say that his family would not be holidaying in Turkey.

Mr Collins added: "There's a serious issue about tourism. Paul was out there as a tourist and it doesn't necessarily provide great encouragement to people thinking of going on holiday there."

Mr Collins was planning to follow up his visit with a telephone call to the embassy to check on the progress of the forms and the letter.

Mr Cleasby's mother, Wendy Shepherd, expressed her gratitude to readers, the Gazette, and Mr Collins, in a letter this week.

"Please pass on our thanks to your readers, friends and workmates of Paul's or anyone moved enough to support us in this way.

"I feel guilty that people are dealing with tragic cases of incurable illness, or deaths. But this is an absolute indescribable feeling of panic, sadness and worry only a mother can describe."

Mr Cleasby was arrested at Antalya airport last month on his way home to Windermere after a holiday. Early reports were that he had bought a rock as a garden ornament, and was detained as he attempted to bring it home.

However, the Turkish authorities said the rock was a piece of marble, and that exporting it would be in contravention of the Protection of Cultural Property Act.

Mr Cleasby, who owns the horn manufacturing business Abbey Horn, at Holme, near Milnthorpe, has been held since in cell D17 of Kapali Cezaevi Murdurlugu jail, and has been refused bail.

His family said that he had been in contact through some faxes this week and was coping with his incarceration. He has been told about the Bail Not Jail campaign.