A MAN from North Yorkshire, wrongly imprisoned in Africa over the deaths of 13 gold miners, has returned to the continent only to find himself at the centre of a military coup.

David Simpson, 25, astonished everyone when he said he was planning to return to Central African Republic at the end of last year to set up a nature reserve.

He had only just been released from five months in a squalid jail in the capital Bangui, after being accused of the mass murder of 13 illegal gold miners.

Mr Simpson was released from his cell in August, where he had been held with more than a dozen others and attacked during a prison riot.

After a few weeks at home with his mother, father and brother, on their pheasant farm in Gillamoor on the North York Moors, he returned to Africa with the intention of setting up several businesses and a charity.

However, his return coincided with a military coup in the country and his bush camp was targeted by armed rebels.

As the gang advanced through the jungle, armed military police protecting Mr Simpson’s group fled.

He and his business partner, Erik Mararv, took to the air in their four-seater Cessna aircraft to protect their clients and equipment. As the gang began shooting at the plane, the unarmed pilots dive-bombed the group until they scared them off.

Despite this and his recent experiences in the region, Mr Simpson’s brother, Paul, who has just returned from Africa along with their parents, said he was determined to stay in the country.

His mother, Vicky, last year announced her intention to see for herself where her son was working, when she learnt of his plans to return to the Central African Republic.

“Seeing where he is and how passionate he is out there they won’t ask him to stay at home again,” said Paul.

He said his brother was trying to set up a Non-Government Organisation (NGO) to create a 20km wide nature reserve where he is seeking to reintroduce Kudus, a type of antelope which have virtually been wiped out in the country.

He is also hoping it will encourage back native elephants, which are heavily poached.

He said: “The country is currently being run as a dictatorship, that’s why he’s trying to set up a Non-Government Organisation on this land, so the government won’t affect it and it should stop that area being pillaged.

"It will have a big road around it with anti-poaching patrols.

“At one point during our visit we drove 17 hours and everything was stripped from the villages. There’s no wildlife left except in the national parks.”

One of Mr Simpson's other projects involves setting up a car repair business.

However, the car pound was looted and it is expected that Mr Simpson may have to buy the vehicles back from the looters to continue with the project.