FEARS have been raised about the health of a group of British plane-spotters being held in Greek jails on suspicion of spying.

The father of one of the 12 people detained said many of the group had been struck down by a stomach bug for which they were not being treated.

He said relatives were trying to alert British consular officials to the problem.

Albert Coppin, 71, whose son Paul, 45, and daughter-in-law, Lesley, 51, are among those detained, said he was "very concerned".

"I have spoken to my son and he has told me that most of the men have got this stomach bug and some of them are in a bad way," he said.

"They are particularly worried about one of the men who has not been out of his cell for two days because he is so ill.

"They haven't got any medication. They're not being given any. They haven't even got toilet paper. They had to buy their own toilet paper, but that has now run out.

"We are very concerned. It's very worrying news. It's difficult enough with them being held like this for so long, but now to discover that they're ill just makes it worse."

Andrew Jenkins, 32, of York, is among the dozen Britons and two Dutch plane-spotters who were arrested more than a month ago after visiting a military base as part of an organised plane-spotting trip.

Hopes that they would be released quickly have been dashed several times, and relatives fear the group will not be home for Christmas.

Foreign Office officials hope a panel of judges will review the evidence against the group this week and conclude that they can be released.

A Foreign Office spokeswomansaid officials would look into the health concerns raised.