A Sussex planespotter held in Greece accused of spying is holding up well against his ordeal.

Distraught Julie Wilson said her husband Christopher was fed up but remained positive about coming home.

It is now a month since the 46-year-old BT technical officer from Horsham was arrested along with 11 other planespotters in Greece.

The British Government has been working to free the 12, who have still not been charged. But for the time being there is no news of when they might be released.

Since the nightmare began 41-year-old Mrs Wilson has been struggling along with her daily routine and hoping for her husband's safe return.

Sitting in the couple's neat semi-detached home in Erica Way, she told The Argus her husband and the other planespotters remained optimistic about being released, but were not trying to raise their hopes too much.

She said: "He has never sounded down and is always quite positive. He is holding up well."

"They are allowed to see each other now and he is actually sharing a cell with two other men from the same group.

"Obviously they are not raising any hopes because hopes have been dashed before. They are fed up and they are frustrated."

Part-time receptionist Mrs Wilson said she was getting through every day with the support of her family and colleagues and was trying not to think too much about the future.

She has continually maintained the innocence of her husband and the other 11 prisoners and dismissed the accusation of spying as "utterly ridiculous".

She said: "He is a quiet, supportive, sensitive person. He loves walking and music and thoroughly enjoys going to the pub. He is never the centre of attention, but when he knows someone he is quite outgoing with them.

"I just could not believe and I still can't. I keep expecting him to come home from work in the evening."

Mrs Wilson said her husband was passionate about planespotting and often went to Gatwick to watch jets landing and taking off and jotting down their numbers.

She said: "He will go up to Gatwick, although it is not a planned thing and it isn't necessarily every week. He goes up as and when the mood takes him.

"He has been interested in planespotting since he was a young lad. He has been to the States before and on other trips.

"He didn't know anyone else on the trip to Greece, although he might have recognised one or two when they got together."

The Wilsons have been married for 11 years since meeting through mutual friends.

Mrs Wilson has been able to speak to her husband by phone most days.

Until recently members of the the group were kept in separate cells in filthy conditions and Mrs Wilson described how Chris was given a thin, dirty mattress to lie on and a single fork to eat with.

But in the last few days the group have been allowed to see each other.

She said: "My biggest fear is when will it all end. Who knows?

"I would like to think things will get back to normal but I don't think he is going to come home and we are going to go straight back to normal.

"There are obviously going to be effects. I just don't know what the future holds."