A pensioner who was arrested in Thailand on charges of child abuse and child pornography has had the case against him dropped.

Sauna owner Alan Mawson, 74, of St Margaret's Place in Brighton, returned to the UK on Saturday.

The pensioner had faced the prospect of years in a Thai jail after police accused him of possessing 20,800 pornographic images.

It was 100 times the amount which Canadian Christopher Neil, whose swirly disguised face was unmasked by police earlier this year, was alleged to have owned.

Mawson had also been accused of abusing a minor under the age of 15.

The incident, involving a 14-year-old boy, was said to have taken place on October 4 this year in the Diana Estate, in the resort of Pattaya, 100 miles east of Bangkok.

Six digital cameras were also seized by officers.

Police raided his retirement apartment on the estate and claimed to have found the photos of children.

Mr Mawson, who lives above, and owns one of Brighton's oldest saunas, Bright and Beautiful, has been travelling to Thailand for about 20 years and visits the country several times a year.

The pensioner, who is originally from Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria, had his passport returned by Thai police last week.

A conviction for an indecent act against a child under 15 in the country carries a potential jail sentence of up to ten years.

Mr Mawson had always denied all the charges.

His business partner, Phillip Oliver, said both sets of charges had now been dropped.

He said: "Those pictures are nothing you can't buy legally in a newsagents anywhere.

"He was treated like royalty in prison but he was only in a cell for about one-and-a-half hours. The other inmates gave him their last bottle of water and even made his bed for him."

Thai police confirmed the charges had been dropped in a fax to the British embassy.

The note sent by Police Lieutenant Major Chanaphat Naowalak (CORR), read: "At the present the investigating officer has completed the investigation and ordered to dismiss the charge."

He said Mr Mawson didn't want to speak about his ordeal but was happy it was over.

Mr Oliver said: "He's glad to be back and hoping to get back over to Thailand next year."

Thailand has long been a haven for sex tourism, but police have recently begun a major crack down on foreigners who target the country's estimated 250,000 child prostitutes.