The appeal hearing of three Greek doctors convicted of the manslaughter of a British holidaymaker took a sensational turn today when the public prosecutor called for the three to be cleared.

Christopher Rochester, 24, from Chester-le-Street, County Durham, died in a Rhodes hospital hours after falling from a balcony in nearby Faliraki in June 2000.

The three doctors were convicted of manslaughter by neglect at an emotional hearing on the island in September 2003 and sentenced to three years in prison, suspended pending an appeal.

That appeal started yesterday but today the island's public prosecutor told the three judges that he thought the convictions should be quashed.

Mr Rochester's stunned family said they could not believe what was happening after a similar incident at the original trial in which the public prosecutor claimed the doctors were not guilty.

On that occasion magistrates overruled the prosecutor and convicted the doctors.

Mr Rochester's mother Pam and stepfather George Cummings said today their only hope is that the same thing happens again.

Mrs Cummings said outside Rhodes Town Court: ''This is absolutely disgusting.

''At the first trial when the prosecutor asked for them to be acquitted, our solicitor stated then that it was the first time in his professional career that he had ever witnessed a prosecutor bring a case and then ask for all defendants to be acquitted.

''This has happened again today for the second time. This time another different public prosecutor has requested that all three doctors are acquitted. ''Our solicitor cannot understand or believe not only has this happened once but now it's happened a second time. ''On both occasions he has witnessed this, it has been in this same case.

''Something here is rotten, it just smells of corruption.

''Having said that, when the public prosecutor at the first trial asked for acquittals, the magistrates went against his request and found them guilty as charged.

''They were convicted of manslaughter by neglect and sentenced to three years in prison so hopefully again with this request, the three appeal judges will also come to the right and proper decision that these three doctors are guilty of causing Chris's death.''

Final submissions are due to be heard from lawyers representing the three doctors, then the three appeal judges are expected to retire to consider their verdict.