AN East Lancashire journalist who fled the Indonesian army with East Timor freedom fighters has contacted his wife to say he is alive and well.

Former Stonyhurst College pupil Christopher Wenner spoke to his wife Liz last night by satellite phone from the guerrillas' camp in the mountains above the ravaged capital Dili.

Liz, who had not heard from him for four days, said: "It was a huge relief. He's seen some terrible things. He saw a mother killed in front of her five children.

"But he was thrilled to hear the news that the UN is sending a peace keeping force."

Christopher, a former Stonyhurst College pupil, is the only Westerner in the camp and has learnt to speak the Indonesian language. He is sending bulletins to a national newspaper and ITN news.

Liz said: "They have enough food for a week and hopefully they won't need to be up there that long or the masses of refugees will face starvation. "I'm very worried about him, but I'm incredibly proud. I feel the least I can do is to support him if he's willing to do this courageous thing."

Christopher, whose family lives in Slaidburn, was one of the first Western journalists to report from East Timor and won an award in 1994 for covering a massacre when he was caught up in a crowd and fired on by soldiers.

Britain has suspended all arms exports to Indonesia including nine Hawk jets due to be sent by British Aerospace.

Seven jets have already been sent and, despite promises that they would not be used against civilians, they have been sighted over East Timor.

Local TV stations said they had been used to identify and intercept foreign aircraft.

The Foreign Office said last week that they were dismayed and alarmed that Indonesia would use the Lancashire-made planes to restrict foreign access.

A spokesman for British Aerospace today said the company would be abiding by the Government's ban.

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