A WORCESTER friend of Norman Kember, the British man released after spending almost four months as a hostage in Iraq, has spoken of his delight.

John Johansen-Burg, of Rannoch Avenue, St Peter's, has known Mr Kember for more than a decade through the Network of Christian and Peace Organisations (NCPO).

He said: "I was in my study and my son called and said 'Have you heard the breaking news?'

"As soon as he told me I turned the news on. It is absolutely fantastic news."

Mr Johansen-Burg, is a minister with the United Reform Church, as well as an international director for the Commission for Reconciliation and chairman of the Fellowship of Reconciliation, with whom Mr Kember is a trustee.

He praised the appeals made by world leaders, peace campaigners and Muslims for the release of Mr Kember and the other hostages. He said: "We have been very grateful for the great number of statements and appeals made on their behalf right across faith, national and cultural borders - particularly by the Muslim leaders who have spoken with great conviction asking for them to be released."

Mr Kember, a retired professor, was seized with three colleagues, an American, Tom Fox, aged 54, and Canadians James Loney, 41, and Harmeet Singh Sooden, 32, during a peace mission to Baghdad on Saturday, November 26.

Three days later, video footage of them was released by a previously unknown group calling itself the Swords of Righ-teousness Brigade, which accused the hostages of being spies.

Earlier this month, Mr Fox was found shot dead in Baghdad raising fears for the safety of the remaining three hostages.

British forces played a prominent role in the rescue operation, according to the Ministry of Defence. Although a spokesman declined to comment on reports that the SAS - based in Herefordshire - were involved.

He did say, however: "We can confirm that the operation was carried out by multi-national forces including British forces. British forces did play a prominent role in the rescue."