A close friend of a pensioner wrongly arrested by the FBI was ready to fly out to South Africa to help prove his innocence.

British Rotarian Derek Bond, 72, was released yesterday from a Durban prison after the FBI admitted he was not a dangerous fugitive.

He was held for two weeks after being arrested.

Brighton architect John Wells-Thorpe, a close friend and former colleague of Mr Bond's, condemned the FBI for making such a blunder.

Mr Wells-Thorpe, of Holly Close, said: "Derek Bond could not be a crook in 1,000 years and my heart bleeds for him."

Mr Bond was arrested on a wine-tasting holiday with his wife by FBI agents mistaking him for a man wanted for property conspiracy, fraud conspiracy and money-laundering.

The suspect had been known by the names of Derek Bond and Derek Lloyd Sykes and had the same date of birth and passport number as the retired engineer.

The Interpol web site said the wanted man "may be dangerous".

Mr Bond was released after another man was arrested in Las Vegas on Tuesday night.

The US Attorney's Office apologised for the error, with official John Lewis confessing: "We got the wrong man. He deserves an apology and he certainly gets one from me. I do apologise and others, I'm sure, will as well."

Mr Lewis believed it took so long to clear Mr Bond because he waived his right to an identity hearing and had agreed to be extradited to the USA in a move to settle the matter.

Mr Bond's family had insisted he was the victim of identity theft, a view now backed up by Mr Lewis.

Mr Wells-Thorpe was equally convinced. The two men became good friends when working on the headquarters of the London Life Assurance company in Bristol 15 years ago.

Mr Wells-Thorpe said: "You could not find a more unlikely character to be the biggest crook in the USA.

"He was such a good engineer and utterly reliable.

"It would be completely out of character. I was astounded when I heard he had been arrested.

"I will now get in touch with one of his sons and perhaps we can have a party when he gets back.

"I look forward to seeing him and am relieved I do not have to fly out to Durban."

Mr Bond's South African lawyer Waldow Thore said: "The comedy of errors and the strangeness of this whole incident is just unbelievable."

Friends in his home city of Bristol were concerned for the effects of the ordeal on his health.

Bill Hardyman, 76, said: "I hope he can be taken away somewhere quietly to regain his strength. He often has chest problems in the winter and develops a weakness."

A spokesman for the British High Commission in South Africa said they were not sure when exactly Mr Bond would return home.

His elder son, Peter, 45, said he did not believe his father would travel home for several days.