Thousands have signed a petition calling for justice for a Dartford holidaymaker who was stabbed to death in Cyprus.

Friends and family of 22-year-old estate agent George Low launched the campaign calling on the UK government to put pressure on Turkey to hand the suspects over for a murder trial.

More than 3,500 people have signed and once it reaches 5,000 the petition will be sent to the UK and European Parliaments, as well as Prime Minister Theresa May.

It comes as one of two men suspected of murdering Mr Low was jailed for trespassing a military zone.

According to the Cyprus Mail, a military court last week found that Sali Musa Ahmet, 43, had illegally crossed into the Turkish-controlled north of the island 670 times since 2011, the last of which saw him arrested alongside Mehmet Akpinar, 22, on Friday, August 19.

Both had been identified by Cypriot police in the south as the prime suspects for the murder of Mr Low, who died after a stabbing attack in Ayia Napa in the early hours of Sunday, August 14.

Warrants were issued for their arrests over the killing, which they reportedly admitted to in court, but local deputy police chief George Economou indicated at the time that the north had not handed anyone over to the south for years.

Northern Cyprus has been inhabited by Turkish Cypriots since Turkey invaded the country in 1974, dividing the island in two. The northern third of the island is inhabited by Turkish Cypriots and the southern two-thirds by Greek Cypriots.

Ahmet will spend the next year behind bars in the north for the trespassing, but Akpinar has been allowed to walk free after his three month sentence was served while in custody.

Phileleftheros, the largest circulating newspaper in Cyprus, reported in August that Akpinar and Salih admitted to the attack but said in court they had "only intended to injure and scare Low, not kill him".

"He was fun loving, loved people, loved life, and lived life to the full" - Martyn Low

Hundreds turned out to pay their respects to “captivating, charismatic, gorgeous George” at his funeral at St Margaret’s Church in Darenth Hill on Friday, September 9.

The family, of Ladywood Road, said the love and support from friends and family had “helped immensely in seeing us through this difficult time”.

George had been enjoying the last night of his holiday when he was stabbed alongside friend Ben Barker, 22, following an altercation.

George was stabbed in the neck, severing his carotid artery, while Ben was stabbed in the back multiple times. He survived and made a full recovery.

Eyewitnesses insisted that the attack was “completely random”, and tributes to George - who worked at Acorn Estate Agents in Bromley - poured in during the days that followed.

Speaking outside the family home the following Monday, his father Martyn, 55, said “he could not wish for a better son”.

He said: “Everyone who knew George loved him. He was fun loving, loved people, loved life, and lived life to the full. Nobody had a bad word to say about him.”

George’s family – dad Martyn, mum Helen, 47, and his two brothers and two sisters – Wesley, 23, Laura, 29, Millie, 17, and Oliver, 11 — flew out to Cyprus to have George repatriated. More than £15,000 was raised to help with expenses.

Owners of The Bell Inn, the bar George and Ben had been enjoying the end of their evening with until the tragedy unfolded at around 3am, also issued a tribute.

They said: “We know it’s often said but it is never truer in this case that George truly was one of the good guys. He was just enjoying his last night of holiday. He was always happy, always joking and someone we were proud to call our friend.

“He will be truly missed. Our heartfelt condolences to his family.”

Find the petition here.