Sorry is often said to be the hardest word but Andrew Hawkins felt compelled to apologise to a crowd of thousands of Africans.

His regret was not for his own actions but offered on behalf of his ancestor, who traded in African slaves 444 years ago.

Sir John Hawkins was a 16th Century English shipbuilder, merchant, pirate and slave trader.

He first captured natives of Sierra Leone in 1562 and sold them in the Caribbean. His cousin was Sir Francis Drake, who joined him on expeditions.

Andrew Hawkins, of Liskeard, Cornwall, is a 37-year-old married father-of-three who runs a youth theatre company and claims to be the sailor's descendent.

"It had always been part of the verbal history of our family, that we were related to Sir John Hawkins.

"It was a standing joke in the family that we had a pirate in the family."