Three Premiership players locked up in a Spanish jail over sex assault allegations were last night hoping a new legal bid would bring their release.

Leicester City's captain Paul Dickov, Keith Gillespie and Frank Sinclair were preparing to spend their third night in the prison as fans back in the UK showed anger and disbelief at the last few days' events.

Meanwhile, a girlfriend of one of the footballers visited the jail in Murcia, southeast Spain, while another jetted into the country yesterday afternoon.

Luis Ruiperez, a leading lawyer in Cartagena, said submissions were handed into court yesterday asking for the Leicester City players to be released. Ruiperez, whose daughter Ana is representing the footballers, said it was now for the judge in their case to decide whether they would be allowed to leave custody.

It is thought that a judge in Cartagena will review all the latest developments in the case today although it is unlikely that the players will attend any hearing.

The three were taken to prison on Friday following a court hearing over allegations that they attacked three women at the five-star Hyatt Regency Hotel in the exclusive resort of La Manga where they were staying.

Yesterday, Keith Vaz, Leicester East MP, said the British Foreign Office was doing all it could and said he had offered to act as guarantor if the players were given bail.