We are anxious and shaken. It's hard not to think the worst...

Family's agony as couple held in prison in Iran

- BY EMMA MACKENZIE

The son of a British couple locked up in Iran has spoken of his terror after they were suddenly hauled before a court this week.

Lindsay and Craig Foreman, both 52, were on a motorcycle world tour this year when they were arrested on trumped-up espionage charges.

Psychologist Lindsay is being held in the notorious Qarchak women's prison, which Iran Human Rights says disregards even the most basic principles of human dignity. Craig, a carpenter, is in Evin jail, where he has not been seen in months.

Lindsay's son Joe Bennett told the Mirror of his horror when he learned his mum and stepdad had been taken to a court hearing on Wednesday with no notice.

Joe, 31, said: "My first reaction was fear. It was unannounced, completely out of the blue, and we still don't know what happened.

"As a family, we're anxious and shaken. We're holding on to each other but it's very hard not to think the worst... What makes it worse is even the Foreign Office didn't know this was happening.

"That leaves us in the dark, worried sick, because if we don't know what's going on, there's no way to prepare or even understand what's coming next.