Their plight hit the national spotlight, now the planespotters accused by the Greeks of being spies have had their story turned into a TV drama, as STEVE CARROLL reports.

THEY spent 37 days in a Greek jail. They were accused of being spies. They spent thousands of pounds trying to prove their innocence.

Their crime? Taking snap-shots of aeroplanes.

Now the real-life drama which enveloped York man Andrew Jenkins and 13 other planespotters is about to hit the small screen.

Airing on prime-time on ITV1 on Sunday night, Planespotters will relive the nightmare that emerged in late 2002, when Andrew and a group of air enthusiasts were arrested by Greek police at Kalamata Airport.

The story, which was first broken by the Evening Press, became worldwide news.

The farce continued for more than a year, as the group were charged, then convicted, before finally being cleared on appeal.

For Andrew, then a 32-year-old Thrall Europa worker from Acomb, the pressure of being accused of spying threatened to tear his life apart.

Now the spotters - who at one stage were facing 20 years in prison - will have their holiday adventures relayed to the world in a TV drama.

The story revolves around Touchdown Tour operators Paul and Lesley Coppin, who organised the ill-fated planespotting trip to Greece.

Played by well-known actors Mark Benton, of Clocking Off fame, and Lesley Sharp, of Playing The Field, the script is described as "surprisingly fun" given the torments of those involved.

Lesley Coppin said: "There were periods when our spirits were very low and we spent a year eating and sleeping grief. Those stresses, of course, took their toll.

"However, we hope the audience will take away the positive side to the surreal events in Greece. Even in the face of imprisonment, there were moments of humour and our solidarity kept individual spirits high.

"I think the film has been brilliantly cast.

"Neither of us can think of anyone who could play us any better."

Much of the group's frustration lay with the ponderous Greek legal system, which kept Andrew and his group locked up before diplomatic pressures and the fire of a national Press finally saw them released on bail.

They were also alarmed that the Greeks were unable to comprehend the very British hobby of planespotting, and simply assumed that Andrew and company were foreign spies.

Lesley said: "The traditional legal system in Greece will also have to change because of our case. Not that the Greek judicial system will change as such, but the standard will be raised across each EU country, guaranteeing the rights of the defendant.

"The enormous media interest gave impetus to MEPs to carry forward our experiences and turn them into proposed legislation which will protect future tourists.

"That alone has got to be worth six weeks in prison. I'm not sure about 20 years, though!"

Andrew does not have a named actor playing him in the drama, but Paul and Lesley accompanied "their" actors to Greece for filming.

What was it like for the actors meeting their alter egos?

Mark Benton said: "It's quite difficult because, having met Paul and acted with him on the first day (Paul Coppin played an extra in a 'spotting' scene), I do feel a kind of responsibility towards him.

"You've got to be careful when you play someone real, as you want to be truthful to them."

It started out as a farce, and nearly became a Greek tragedy.

Now their story has found a form which could be as dramatic as the events they experienced.

:: Timeline

November 2001, Fourteen plane-spotters attend an air show at Kalamata Airport and are arrested and charged with espionage. They are refused bail.

November 16, 2001, The plane-spotters are transferred to the violent and over-crowded jail in Nafplion

December 2001, after nearly six weeks in jail, the plane-spotters are finally bailed - after putting up £9,200 each in bail. They return home.

April 2002, six of the plane-spotters, including Andrew Jenkins, are found guilty of spying and are handed three-year jail sentences. The others were given one-year suspended sentences. All were allowed to return home, pending appeal.

December 2002, a judge in Kalamata finally overturns the convictions.

February 2004, seven of the spotters get their bail money back. The rest are still battling with Greek lawyers.

Updated: 10:33 Saturday, February 19, 2005