HUMAN rights charity Amnesty International are backing an appeal by a Lancaster man against a sentence of 500 lashes for dealing in alcohol in Saudi Arabia.

Kelvin Hawkins will become the first Britain to be flogged since the mid 1980s if the brutal sentence goes ahead.

Amnesty spokesman Neil Durkin said: "We believe that this sort of judicial corporal punishment is cruel, inhumane and degrading.

"Hundreds of people, men, women and children are flogged in Saudi Arabia every year, though as far as we know no British person has been flogged since the 1980s.

"We have had testimony from people who have left the country after receiving this punishment and spoken to us.

"Some of them were flogged in public, others within the prison walls. Some people tell of having to queue up and see other people receive their punishment.

"If these floggings go ahead, they will probably be given out in batches of 50, with a few days to two weeks of respite in between.

"That will allow the wounds to heal up before they are opened up again by the next flogging. All the people who spoke to us said the pain was unimaginable."

However, Mr Durkin said that he believes public pressure and the support of the Foreign Office could force a reprieve for Mr Hawkins and three other men accused of illegally trading in alcohol.

"We are very encouraged by the attitude of the foreign office," Mr Durkin added.

Mr Hawkins' family have so far refused to comment. The Foreign Office has said that the family do not wish to be identified.

In a statement they said: "We are grateful for everyone's concern but, right now, we know their fate is in Saudi hands and we want nothing to be done or said that would aggravate their position."