A BURNHAM author and explorer has told the Weekly News of his journey from hell after he was interrogated while in Africa.

Michael Turner spent the festive period photographing rivers in Guinea and Sierra Leone before heading to Libya for research for his latest book on Sir Francis Drake.

He told the Weekly News of his amazing experiences and the perils he faced while visiting the African countries.

He said: “Two days after I arrived in Guinea I slept in a bamboo hut with no electricity or running water and the food was unrecognisable - it was just roots and leaves.

“I set sail the next day and when I reached the shore I thought I had found a normal town but it was just a small settlement of houses in the forest.

“One man let me sleep in his boat but when the village chief found out I was sent to sit in front of a group of officials before I was handed over to the army.

“I was made to sleep in a concrete hut and the next day there was a military coup in the country and different soldiers were coming to see me and interrogated me about why I was here.

“I have been to the gates of hell and back - I was overheated the whole time, isolated, unnerved and had barely any food - I didn't know how long I would be kept there.

“I realised no one knew where I was but eventually they let me go and I was taken to the border.”

Michael's adventures didn't end there, however. He next visited Libya and attended a function involving Colonel Gadaffi. And when he did finally arrive back in Britain, it was without his baggage and after a flight delayed by 26 hours.