AFTER more than five weeks in a Greek jail, a former Worcester man has finally been released.

Ex-Nunnery Wood High School pupil Wayne Groves was one of the first of the 14-strong group to be released yesterday morning.

The group was detained on Thursday, November 8, in the south-eastern town of Kalamata, after allegedly taking photographs and making notes about military aircraft.

On Wednesday, a panel of three judges decided the plane-spotters would not face charges of espionage and instead would have to return in the New Year on charges of misdemeanour, which carry a five-year prison sentence.

The families of the 12 Britons and two Dutchmen raised £9,000 bail per person for their release, which should have been at 8am yesterday, but it was delayed because of red tape.

Yesterday, Wayne's mother Sheila watched events unfold at the family home in Kilbury Drive, Whittington.

"I don't know when he will be home but I don't think we are going to go to the airport because there will be so many people there," she said.

Mr Groves, aged 38, works as a railway manager and lives in Tamworth, Staffordshire.