Former prisoners of war finally won their campaign for compensation yesterday, but from the British - not the Japanese Government.

While the fight for recompense continues in the Tokyo High Court, survivors who suffered at the hands of the Japanese in the Second World War, were told that they would each receive 10,000 from the British Government.

Widows of PoWs will be given the same sum.

Apart from the 7,000 survivors, the compensation also is to be paid to former members of the Merchant Navy who were imprisoned, as well as to British civilians who were interned.

The announcement was welcomed by Arthur Titherington from Witney, a former town mayor, who has written about his experiences as a slave labourer in Taiwan, and has campaigned for justice.

He described it as "a great day", but he insisted the Japanese should still formally acknowledge its guilt.

Mr Titherington, chairman of the Japanese Labour Camps Survivors' Association, said: "My only disappointment is that the real culprits, the Japanese Government, have got away scot free."