Dozens of women in bright tribal dress stood outside the British High Commission in Nairobi singing and waving banners.

The alleged crimes which stretch back over three decades took place in central Kenya where the British army runs training exercises.

"Look at his skin," shouted one woman.

"His father is a British soldier who raped me."

A smaller delegation took two petitions inside the High Commission.

One calls for the British government to take financial responsibility for the education of the mixed race children who are often ostracised by their communities.

The other is demanding an independent enquiry by Britain and Kenya into the alleged rapes.

A team from Britain's Royal Military Police is currently in Kenya looking in to those cases where there is some documentary evidence.

Police and hospital reports have been uncovered stretching back to the 1970s.

But the women say they don't trust the army to investigate itself.

Today's demonstration was partly organised by the women's British lawyer, Martyn Day.

He has won legal aid from Britain to pursue a claim for compensation against the Ministry of Defence on behalf of over 600 women.

Last year Mr Day secured a $7m settlement from the MoD in connection with another case involving victims of unexploded munitions left by British troops training in the same area.

There is a general feeling here that the British have been slow to listen the complaints of these remote communities, but there is also a suspicion that some villagers are making false claims in the hope of getting a share of any future compensation money.