THE Spice Girls and other pop celebrities are supporting the search for Paul Wells and the other hostages in Kashmir.

The chart-topping girls have sent sought-after signed photographs of themselves to the Hostages In Kashmir Campaign for an auction of celebrity memorabilia.

Veteran rock drummer and singer Phil Collins and top Canadian singer Celine Dion have also donated items.

Today campaign director James Bowman said securing the lots had taken a lot of hard work. He added: "We are now fund-raising to send the families of the hostages back to Kashmir so that they can continue their quest for clues.

"This is all part of that fund-raising."

Paul, 26, of Bracken Close, Feniscowles, Blackburn, was captured by Kashmiri militants calling themselves Al Faran in July 1995.

He and American Donald Hutchings, German Dirk Hasert and Middlesbrough man Keith Mangan are still unaccounted for.

The auction will take place at a sales house near Middlesbrough.

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