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Thousands of people signed a petition to Downing Street calling for an apology posthumously by the government until World War II code breaker Alan Turing.

Novelist Ian McEwan has backed the campaign, which already has the support of the scientist Richard Dawkins.

In 1952, under the Act Turing gross indecency after admitting to pursue a sexual relationship with a man. Two years later killed himself.

The petition was the idea of computer scientists, John Graham-Cumming.

It seeks an apology for the way the young mathematician was treated after his conviction. He also wrote to ask the Queen for a knighthood posthumously in British mathematician will be awarded.

Alan Turing was given the experimental chemical castration as a "treatment" and its security privileges have been removed, meaning he could not go to work for the seat of British Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ).

"This additional insult and humiliation, ultimately led to suicide," said gay rights-Fighter Peter Tatchell, who is also supporting the campaign. "With the death of Turing, Britain and the world lost its best intellectual minds. An apology from the government and the posthumous pardon is long overdue."