THE Government did a U-turn today and heaped praise on Oxfordshire diplomat Peter Penfold for his role in the arms to Africa affair.

Yesterday, Mr Penfold, 53, of Fisherman's Wharf, Abingdon, was accused of conniving to send weapons to the African country to depose the military junta.

But 24 hours later, Prime Minister Tony Blair said the British High Commissioner had done a 'superb job' and dismissed the row as a 'hoo-ha'.

He said Mr Penfold had helped restore the country's elected leader, President Kabbah, to power, adding: "Don't let us forget that what was happening was that the UN and the UK were both trying to help the democratic regime restore its position from an illegal military coup.

"They were quite right in trying to do it."

He praised Mr Penfold for the way he dealt with the consequences of a military coup and for his close working relationship with President Kabbah's regime. It is said that Mr Penfold urged President Kabbah to ask 'military consultants' Sandline Inter- national for help in deposing the junta. Sandline supplied arms and mercenaries to the President's soldiers.

Mr Blair's praise of Mr Penfold marks a U-turn in the Government's attitude to the affair.

The Government has been under pressure to explain how the arms were supplied to Sierra Leone, apparently without ministers knowing.

Tories were today keeping up pressure for a full explanation of the affair.

President Kabbah's spokesman Prof Septimus Kai-kai said: "Peter Penfold was acting at the behest of your Government and every other government in the world that supported President Kabbah's government." Sandline has named Mr Penfold as the architect of a plan to oust junta leader Johnny Koroma and insisted British and American officials were 'intimately involved' .

Meanwhile, Mr Penfold's wife Celia said she was astonished by the attention her husband's work attracted. She said she had been surprised and bemused to read about him in the newspapers.

Speaking at the couple's riverside home in Abingdon, she said she had also been "most interested" to hear newspapers and radio stations in Sierra Leone encouraging people to join a rally in support of her husband. She said: "I heard that independent and private newspapers in Sierra Leone were calling for a demonstration to support him. I've been reading all about it in the newspapers. It is very interesting. However, I am astonished by the attention. "He is not enjoying being in the spotlight at all." He is in London but I have no idea what about. I don't know if there is any questioning going on."

She said she was more interested in making the most of the May sunshine, but joked: "If you get any more information, please let me know.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.