THE church which sent deaf charity worker Ian Stillman to India has joined the Evening Press' demand for the country's Government to free him.

The 51-year-old, whose parents live in Tadcaster Road, York, and who had a leg amputated after a road accident, is serving a ten year prison sentence in India after being convicted of cannabis possession a charge he has always denied.

He had left Britain for India 27 years ago to work with the country's deaf as a missionary for the Carey Baptist Church, in Reading.

Rev Jonathan Stephen, of the church, said: "There isn't a Sunday that goes by that he isn't prayed for in our services.

"Anybody who knows Ian realises the total injustice of what's happened to him. He is a remarkable man with a completely unselfish dedication for others, and what has happened to him is appalling.

"This is a man who has done so much for India. He was a Government adviser on deaf issues, and his wife Sue continues to be. He has not been given justice."

Mr Stephen said Ian had set off for India looking for a vocation in life.

"While he was there he worked out what he really wanted to do," he said.

"He saw the plight of the poor, rural deaf and he decided to do something about it."

He and Sue, who was a teacher of the deaf, set up the Nambikkai Foundation which has taught independence skills to more than 1,000 Indian deaf.

Ian, who lived in Reading before he travelled to India, remains a member of the church, which supports him and his work financially.

"Quite frankly, anything that can be done that will put pressure on the authorities to free Ian will be supported by us," said Mr Stephen.

"I would love the British Government to be doing more and have been disappointed at the level of pressure that they have been putting on, but it's clearly not politic for it to lean too hard on the Indian Government, for whatever reason.

"We will continue to give our backing to any effort made to put pressure on."

The Evening Press has launched a campaign to free Ian, and has collected nearly 1,000 signatures in only two weeks.

It is hoped a petition signed by thousands of readers will be handed to the Indian Government.

Mr Stephen said: "Ian is incredibly resilient.

"Many people in his position would have cracked but somehow he's been able to cope with the situation and remain cheerful, when most of us would be having the screaming ab dabs."

The Evening Press petition can be signed in our offices in York and Malton, where copies can be collected. It can be printed off from here

Updated: 09:01 Monday, April 15, 2002