A Greenpeace activist from Brent held in Russian on piracy charges has been freed after being granted amnesty today.

Frank Hewetson, of Chevening Road, Queen’s Park, was one of the ‘Arctic 30’ who were seized by Russian security services at gunpoint on September 18.

Russian MPs today approved a Kremlin-backed bill which has ended legal proceedings against all 30.

The bill will also result in the release of two jailed members of Pussy Riot who were caged for an anti-Putin protest.

Mr Hewetson is expected to be free to return to the UK once the relevant paperwork is completed.