The British plane spotters who were accused of spying will have to spend another night in a Greek jail.

The setback for the 12 - who include BT engineer Christopher Wilson, of Erica Road, Horsham - comes after last-minute problems with their bail, their lawyer said today.

Iannis Nikiteas said the £9,000 bail each of the 12 arrested Britons and two Dutchmen needed had not been deposited in time.

Most state banks and court cashiers close at 2pm (1200 GMT), and Nikiteas said he was so far unaware of any funds being deposited.

British Consul Donald Holder also said the Britons would not be released until Friday.

He said: "The money is in Athens, but it has to be deposited in Kalamata."

He said funds had been raised for 10 of the Britons, but "we still haven't got the money for two people."

A panel of three judges in the southern town of Kalamata ruled yesterday to reduce the charges from spying to a lesser charge of illegal information collection, and set the bail.

But the ruling came too late for the money to be collected and deposited with authorities yesterday, and the spotters spent another night in jail.

The 13 men have been held in a prison in Nafplion almost from the start of their November 8 arrest after attending an aircraft show at a military base in Kalamata.

Once the plane spotters leave prison they will be free to leave the country.

But they must return to Greece to face trial on the lesser charge, which carries a minimum one-year and maximum five-year prison sentence.

The espionage charge had a maximum sentence of 20 years.