Mothers' plea to Milosevic

Adrian Pragnell and John Yore: Held since 1 August

The mothers of the two British police officers being held in Yugoslavia on suspicion of spying have pleaded with Slobodan Milosevic to release their sons.

Adrian Pragnell, 41, and John Yore, 31, were training local police officers when they were arrested along with two Canadians and accused of possessing equipment which could be used for terrorist activities.

Noely Pragnell, of Hampshire, wrote to the Yugoslav president saying: "I appeal to your parental instincts to release him so that he can return to his family."

Although the four men appeared before the Supreme Military Court two weeks ago, they have yet to be charged with any offence.

My son is not a terrorist, merely an English policeman who was given the wonderful opportunity to volunteer to go to Kosovo

Carolyn Harrod

They were arrested in the border region between Kosovo and Montenegro, Serbia's junior partner in the Yugoslav Federation.

The Yugoslav authorities said Mr Yore and Mr Pragnell, along with Canadians Shaun Going and Liam Hall were armed and carrying explosives, and had no right to be in the border area.

Mr Yore's mother Carolyn Harrod, of Cambridgeshire, said she was devastated that her son had been arrested.

"My son is not a terrorist, merely an English policeman who was given the wonderful opportunity to volunteer to go to Kosovo and help with the training of new recruits there," she wrote.

"John is a very caring person and would never knowingly commit any act that he knew to be wrong."

Slobodan Milosevic: Will receive the parents' letters

Mrs Pragnell also drew President Milosevic's attention to the fact that she had recently had an operation and had been very ill.

"I know that Adrian is worried that this situation will not help my recovery. Please let him come home soon," she wrote.

The letters were given to Yugoslavia's senior diplomat in London, Rade Drobac, during a meeting he held with the Foreign Minister Peter Hain on Tuesday.

He reiterated Britain's demand that the men are either charged with a specific offence or released immediately.

A government spokesman said: ""The men have effectively served three weeks in prison already."

Mr Hain criticised the authorities in Belgrade for not letting the men have private meetings with consular officials or their defence lawyers.

They were allowed to speak to their family by telephone once but Mr Hain said they should be given regular access to a phone so they can speak to their families on a daily basis.