THE father of student hostage Paul Wells today rejected claims he was dead by saying: "I will not write off my son."

Mr Bob Wells spoke after the Foreign Office said it was investigating claims that Paul and Middlesbrough-born hostage Keith Mangan had been killed.

The statement is the first time the Government department has acknowledged the hostages may no longer be alive.

But today Mr Wells, of Bracken Close, Feniscowles, Blackburn, said he was treating the news as another of the "ups and downs" his family had faced during the 10 month ordeal.

He added that he could not understand why the Foreign Office had made the statement.

Paul, 25, is among four Westerners held by Kashmiri separatist guerillas in the Indian province of Jammu Kashmir since July last year.

Another captive, Norwegian Hans Christian Ostroe, was found beheaded on August 13 last year.

Today a Foreign Office spokesman said the new information had emerged during an interview with somebody who had been arrested.

It is understood the detainee is a member of the political wing of Al-Faran and a "reliable source" who claimed the men had died in December. The spokesman added: "The claims will be fully investigated. The hostages have not been seen for a long time.

"There has not been proof of death but neither has there been proof of life."

However, Mr Wells added: "I don't think this news is true. There have been so many negative and positive reports that we have been up and down like yo yo's.

"The Foreign Office are keeping a very open mind, as we all must.

"I am being very circumspect about what I believe."

In the past months, Al-Faran have issued several statements claiming the hostages have been released into the custody of the Indian army.

Diplomats believe this might have been a bid to cover up for the deaths of Paul, Keith, American Donald Hutchings and German Dirk Hasert.

The Al-Faran statements have been dismissed by the Indian Government and foreign diplomats.

Diplomatic negotiations are believed to have been difficult during the run of recent Indian elections which have still not ended in the Jammu Kashmir region.

Today American, British, German and Indian diplomats were set to meet in Islamabad to discuss the development.

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