Stepfather's emotional appeal for kidnapped girl

A man whose six-year-old stepdaughter was kidnapped by guerillas in the Philippines has offered to swap places with her.

Douglas Grant's stepdaughter Eiman April Grant has been snatched from her home by four men, believed to be Islamic separatists, who are thought to be holding her for a ransom.

Mr Grant, a 50-year-old hospitality manager is waiting, hoping to hear from his wife, Mina who has not been in contact for more than 24 hours.

The ransom is for 100,000 pesos, which is around £1,300.

Mr Grant said: "She is my stepdaughter, but we are still very close. In some ways I would like to go, I would like to say: 'You take me and let my daughter go'."

In an appeal to the kidnappers from his home in Inverness he said: "The main thing is just get in contact and tell us what to do, sit down and talk. Violence doesn't do anything except make more violence."

The kidnappers took the girl from the family home on the remote island of Basilan in the southern Philippines after tricking their way into the house to ask for water.

They demanded money from her mother, Mina, and when she could not produce it they snatched the girl and ordered her family to come up with the cash.

Mr Grant says it is impossible for him to travel to be with his wife and their 22-month-old daughter Khadija, as the area has now been declared a no-go area. Instead he is waiting by the phone for news.

Mr Grant says his 43-year-old Filipino wife, whom he met while working in Kuwait, suffers from high blood pressure and he is concerned about her health.