A MUM is battling to get her son back from Syria after he was detained for having a metal detector in his bag.

Former Burnley woman Andrea Leclair lives in Nanaimo, British Colombia, Canada, with her son Kristian Baxter, who was arrested by the Syrian authorities seven weeks ago.

Mr Baxter was in Syria to see historical sites and also help work on his girlfriend's relatives' land.

The 45-year-old travelled to Syria via Lebanon on November 26 but there was a delay on his luggage arriving and his driver would go to pick it up later for him.

However, the trip turned into a nightmare as the driver was detained.

Kristian went to officials pleading his driver's innocence and he was arrested and taken to a cell somwhere in Damascus.

Now, former St Hilda's Roman Catholic Girls' High School pupil Mrs Leclair has launched a gofundme page to try to have him set free by getting help from Syrian lawyers and pay for his flight back to Canada once he is released.

She said: "Visiting Syria was meant to be an opportunity of a lifetime for him – a chance to see the Krak des Chevaliers, the ninth century crusader castle and UNESCO World heritage site.

"Recently, the Syrian government has been encouraging tourism now that the civil war has largely drawn to a close.

"And while his visit to Syria might seem imprudent to some, he travelled to Syria with his girlfriend's brother-in-law who often returns to the village of Amar al-Husn, one of several Christian villages in Syria, to help manage his father’s land.

"It’s a hobby of Kristian’s to use a metal detector, he likes to find old things and he uses it here on our property and in school yards. His intention was to use it on his girlfriend's brother-in-law's land.

"He never finds anything of value, old bottle tops and such. I think he thought he might find an old coin on his friend's property. He loves history and old things and always has."

She added that he had not considered the trip risky at all.

She said: "He wasn’t taking a risk, he was going with someone who knew the country and he was going to be safe.

"I’m sick with worry about him and with the help of many people we are working hard to get him free.

"Kristian has dual citizenship and carries both Canadian and British passports.

"As he travelled out of country on his Canadian one, Britain can't or won't help. Once he leaves the country, he becomes the citizen of the passport he travelled on.

"He has not been charged with anything right now.

"He is not allowed visitors. We have someone helping us on the ground in Beirut.

"He is trying to help us and to at least visit him as Kristian is now starting his seventh week of detention.

"I have to take matters into my own hands to get him released and home.

"We are grateful for any donations at this very trying time."

Reports say that Global Affairs Canada confirmed it is aware of a Canadian who has been detained in Syria.

But the department offered no other details and would not confirm his identity, citing the Privacy Act.

If you want support the cause then visit: https://www.gofundme.com and search 'Kristian Baxter'.