A BRITISH National Party election candidate accused of publicly burning a copy of the Koran was freed today when the charge against him was unexpectedly dropped.

Sion Owens, 41, of Bonymaen, Swansea, South Wales, was arrested and charged at the weekend under Section 29 of the Public Order Act.

The BNP candidate in next month's Welsh Assembly elections spent the weekend in custody before appearing at Swansea Magistrates' Court.

He was told today that police were continuing to investigate the alleged incident and he should expect further action.

It is understood that his release was due to a technicality regarding the Act under which he was arrested and charged.

An unconfirmed source in court today claimed that the permission of the Attorney General must be sought before such a charge can be made.

In the case of Mr Owens, he said it was not.

His arrest and charge came after The Observer newspaper reported it had handed police a video which allegedly showed Mr Owens dousing a copy of the Koran with paraffin before setting it alight.

Bryn Hurford, prosecuting today, read out the charge after Mr Owens was brought into court from a custody suite.

He said he was accused of having in his possession "a record of visual images or sounds showing you burning a copy of the Koran whilst saying 'I am burning the Holy Koran and I hope that you Muslims are watching.'."