Theresa May will fight for Chennai Six war heroes’ release on visit to India next month after Sun exposes her complacency

THERESA May will fight for the Chennai Six war heroes’ release on her visit to India next month, No10 have pledged.

The PM will tackle Delhi Premier Narendra Modi over the wrongly jailed former troops’ ordeal and call for them to “work together” to free them.

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Downing Street’s declaration yesterday sparked fresh hope for the men’s families, leaving them “delighted”.

It came after The Sun last month revealed Mrs May and two of her Cabinet ministers failed to bring up the Chennai Six during recent face to face meetings with India’s leaders over the summer.

The Sun is waging a campaign to get the men home for Christmas.

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Lisa Dunn, 37, sister of Nick Dunn, 30, from Northumberland said: “I am delighted that Theresa May is going to raise this terrible miscarriage of justice with the Indian Prime Minister.

“It would have been soul destroying if she had ignored the men’s plight while she was out there.

“But we need more than her just raising the issue.

“We need an end to the constant delays in the appeal process, we need the men out on bail and ultimately we need them back home with their families where they belong.”

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Joanne Thomlinson, 31, sister of John Armstrong, 29 from Cumbria, described Mrs May’s pledge to help as “a boost”.

She added: “It sends clear signals that the British Government takes this case seriously.

“We feel that lobbying at the highest levels is essential and are pleased to hear that the case is on Theresa May’s agenda.”

The other men are Ray Tindall, 41, of Chester; Nicholas Simpson, 46, of Catterick, North Yorkshire, Paul Towers, 53, of Pocklington, East Yorkshire, and Billy Irving, 36, of Oban, Scotland.

The ex-troops, with a combined total of 74 years of service, were wrongly convicted in January of gun running to terrorists.

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The men all had permission to carry firearms on a ship they were protecting from pirates.

The families told of their anger last month after Mrs May failed bring up their plight during a meeting with Mr Modi at the G20 summit in China.

International Trade Secretary Liam Fox and Development Secretary Priti Patel also didn’t bring up their case on their visits to Delhi since being appointed to the Cabinet in July.

Prince Charles, Prince Harry and Joanna Lumley have all sent the men messages of support.