Christians in the UK have expressed concern for a British missionary couple arrested on sedition charges in The Gambia.

David Fulton, 60, from Troon in Ayrshire and his wife Fiona, 46, from Torquay in Devon were arrested on 29 November and Mr Fulton is now being held in a high security prison.

The couple have lived in the largely Muslim country for the last 12 years and Mr Fulton was a chaplain in the Gambian army prior to his arrest.

They are accused of writing letters to "bring hatred or contempt, to excite disaffection against the president of the republic and the government of Gambia", according to Reuters news agency.

Mr Fulton is being held in the Mile Two prison just outside the Gambian capital, Banjul, and relatives say they have received reports that he is refusing to eat and is in poor health. Mrs Fulton and the couple’s daughter are being held at a police station in Banjul.

The pastor of Westhoughton Pentecostal Church, which supports Mr Fulton’s missionary work in The Gambia financially, said the congregation was praying for the couple.

“This is very serious and we are very concerned,” Pastor Martin Speed was quoted as saying by the Bolton News.

“We would like people to put pressure on the Government to ask for their release.

“Sedition is a very serious charge and we will be writing to people asking for their support.”