Outspoken Keighley MP Ann Cryer today vowed to continue her campaign against forced marriages in the Asian community - despite fearing it may result in her losing her seat at the next election.

She said she would continue to champion the cause of young Asian women coerced into marriage by their families, despite facing an aggressive backlash from some male Asian constituents at public meetings.

"This is a lonely path to tread," Mrs Cryer said.

"I don't need this issue, it won't do me any good and if I was only worried about votes at the next election I would steer clear of it as a lot of my colleagues in the House of Commons do.

"This year in Keighley alone, police have helped 12 Muslim girls in this situation, and that is just the tip of the iceberg."

But today the Labour MP came under fire from Jack and Zena Briggs, who fled Bradford after suffering death threats.

Zena, who is Muslim, ran away with her lover Jack, who is white and non-Muslim, rather than marry a Pakistani husband chosen by her family. The pair have been in hiding from her relations ever since.

The couple, who have published a book about their experiences, say they feel "used" by Mrs Cryer and the Government who wanted their case history for a Home Office report, but failed to help with accommodation and jobs.

They were grateful when they were invited to talks with Mrs Cryer and Home Office minister Mike O'Brien at Westminster last year. But they now say their story was used for a Home Office report into the problem of forced marriages, while their immediate plight was ignored.

"They used us for their report, then when we went back to them for help they didn't want to know," Mr Briggs said.

Although they were given new passports and medical cards in their new names, they have never received "work histories" which would have helped them apply for jobs. Seven years after fleeing Bradford they are unemployed and in danger of losing their home.

Mrs Cryer says she is hurt by their attack. She says she did not have to help them as they have never been her constituents, but agreed to do so because she "felt so sorry for them"