THE Brother of released Peter Fell claimed not even £1million compensation could make up for the time he has spent in prison and stressed: "He would rather have his life back."

Paul Davies, 36, said that Peter would be entitled to every penny of any compensation offered by the Government, but his freedom would have been worth more.

Peter and his brother Paul were just toddlers when they were put into care after their parents divorced in 1965.

They stayed with foster parents before going to live in a foster home in Weymouth.

They returned to Lancashire in 1975 when Peter was 10 and lived at Blake Gardens Children's Home at Great Harwood and later with foster parents.

Paul, a press operator of Edgeside, Great Harwood, today criticised the judicial system saying it was fundamentally wrong that an innocent man could spend so long in jail without any hope of release.

He added: "When I heard Peter was being released I was very pleased for him, but I am more scared of him being on the outside than in prison. "He has always been a bit of a fantasist ever since he was a child so I hope he doesn't open his mouth and get himself into trouble.

"It's hard to know how he is going to survive.

"He has always been used to taking orders, at the children's home, then in the army, then in prison, so it will be strange for him.

"He has got no job, no money and no qualifications so he will have to think very carefully about what he is going to do.

"I don't know if he will get any support from the prison service, I just hope he will be okay."

He added: "When they told him he was going to be released it came as a complete shock.

"They called him into a room, asked him to sit down and offered him a cup of coffee, then they said 'you are going to be going out next week.'

"I can't believe they would do something like this if he wasn't going to win the appeal, I just wonder why now?

"Why after 16 years?"