Hollywood actress Susan Sarandon has added her voice to calls for a retrial for a Scottish man awaiting execution in the United States.

Kenny Richey, 38, from Edinburgh, was convicted of an arson attack which led to the death of two-year-old Cynthia Collins in Ohio in 1987.

Ms Sarandon made the appeal following an approach at the Edinburgh Festival by a group campaigning to free Richey.

Kenny Richey faces execution

She said new evidence has created fresh doubts about the conviction of the Briton, who has always protested his innocence.

Ms Sarandon, who was at the festival with her actor husband Tim Robbins last month, starred in the anti-capital punishment movie Dead Man Walking with Sean Penn.

In a statement, she said: "I want to add my voice to the growing campaign to have the whole case re-examined.

"Individuals and organisations as diverse as his Holiness the Pope, the European Parliament, the Archbishop of Canterbury and Amnesty International believe that there is such a 'reasonable doubt' over the conviction that there should, at the very least, be a retrial."

Ms Sarandon said she had the "deepest sympathy" for the young victim.

However, she added: "I call on the authorities in Ohio to re-examine the evidence, listen to the voices around the world and look again at the detail of the case."

Accident theory

Richey left Scotland in 1981 to start a new life in America.

His relationship with girlfriend Candy Barchette broke down and it was alleged that he started an apartment fire as revenge when she went off with another man.

However, Richey's defence said he actually tried to get into the building to save Cynthia.

In October 2000, BBC Scotland's Frontline programme uncovered evidence which revealed that the fatal fire was probably started by accident.

GMTV chief correspondent, Alan Fisher, said he became concerned about the case when he met Richey in prison and contacted Ms Sarandon, who has been a vocal opponent of capital punishment.

He issued the statement on the actress's behalf.