FRIENDS of jailed Army officer Peter Bleach have expressed their frustration at the lack of action over his case.

Mr Bleach, who has been in jail for more than six years for his part in dropping arms and ammunition to rebels in West Bengal, is still waiting to hear whether he will be freed on the grounds of discrimination.

Mr Bleach, of Flylingthorpe, near Whitby, North Yorkshire, is claiming discrimination after the five Latvian pilots who were jailed with him received Presidential Pardons two years ago. Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has been putting pressure on the Indian Government to release Mr Bleach, who claims he was acting with the knowledge of the British Government.

But his friend Richard Stansfield, of Malton, North Yorkshire, said the lack of progress was frustrating.

"I think everyone at the moment feels utterly helpless, I've heard nothing recently," he said.

"At the moment his appeal is based on discrimination over them letting the Latvians out when they were charged with exactly the same offences."

Mr Bleach has also been battling tuberculosis during his time in jail and is receiving treatment for the disease.

A spokesman for the Foreign Office said: "The Foreign Secretary wrote to the Indian Deputy Prime Minister recently, the second such letter, and we are continuing to raise the case as and when. We continue to argue for his release on the grounds that those who were convicted with him have all been released."