Parents greeted with ovation as 'nightmare' ends

By Cahal Milmo and Arifa Akbar

Alan Johnston's parents were greeted with a standing ovation last night as they arrived in London to tell a waiting crowd that their "nightmare was over".

Mr Johnston's parents had travelled from their home in Scotland on a pre-planned visit to attend an Amnesty International awards ceremony on behalf of their son.

He won an award for human rights reporting and raising public awareness with his radio work Dispatches From Gaza. With the BBC correspondent still returning from the Middle East, his father, Graham Johnston, received the award on his behalf and said: "It's been quite a day. I know he will be highly honoured to have received this. We are just so thankful that he's back."

Yesterday was the joyous culmination of months of sustained campaigning by the BBC on behalf of the Gaza-based correspondent; 200,000 people had signed a BBC online petition, launched in April, calling for his release.

The mix of relief and celebration was felt nowhere more keenly than the Scottish lakeside village of Lochgoilhead, where the journalist's parents, Graham and Margaret, have lived for more than 20 years. Every Friday since Mr Johnston was abducted on 12 March, a vigil has been held at the village church while a succession of events to publicise his plight ­ including the release of 100 balloons to mark his 100th day of captivity ­ demonstrated the community's support for his parents.

After such a show of dogged unity, many in the village took an equal delight in celebrating. The minister, the Rev Jim Macfarlane, who had overseen the weekly vigils, said: "It's just so wonderful Alan has been released. It's just wonderful news and everybody here in the village will be sharing what Margaret and Graham are sharing."

But the celebrations were tempered by memories of the more desperate moments of the reporter's captivity for his parents, including the broadcasting of a video apparently showing him wearing an explosive vest and a claim that he had been murdered. Mr Macfarlane said: "There were difficult times when the news was not good, but I think there was such a network of people who were being supportive."

Villagers said the BBC correspondent had been a regular visitor to his parents' bungalow, although he had never lived there. He was born in Tanzania, where his father worked as a port manager, and went to school near Dunfermline, which is 60 miles from Lochgoilhead.

Leslie Cuthbertson, chairman of the Lochgoilhead Community Council, who helped organise several of the campaigning events, said: "I don't think I've ever met Alan but there was a very strong feeling that we would do everything to help and support his parents when he was abducted. They have been so remarkably calm and dignified throughout this. I have great admiration for them."

In the Shore House Inn, the village pub, drinkers raised a glass to the man whose safety and release had become a campaign for the inhabitants, often under the gaze of television cameras. Mr Cuthbertson said: "I imagine there will be a few drinks tonight and at some point a private celebration for Alan and his parents."

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