Undated handout photo issued by Uygar Onder Simsek of Michael Enright, a British actor who says he has abandoned his Hollywood career to fight Islamic State in Syria, as he has called for UK troops to be sent to the war-torn country.

A British actor who says he has abandoned his Hollywood career to fight Islamic State in Syria has called for UK troops to be sent to the war-torn country.

Michael Enright, who appeared in Pirates of the Caribbean alongside Johnny Depp, said the intervention of British armed forces would "end this fight much quicker".

The 51-year-old, originally from Manchester, claims he has been fighting with the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) for the last four months.

He said he was aware of about 40 Westerners fighting Isis in Syria, but they were hugely outnumbered by the amount of people travelling to join the extremist group.

"We know for every one of us out here against Isis from England or America or the West, there's probably 10 to 20 who have joined Isis," said Enright.

"I come across dead Isis all the time. Nine times out of 10 we don't bury them. We don't cut their heads off like they do us. We just leave them where they fall. Sometimes they're beheaded because they get eaten by dogs."

Mr Enright said it was now "vital" for the British government to support the fight.

Asked whether he would like to see British troops on the ground in Syria, he said: "Personally yes, because it would end this fight much quicker. We just need Brits who have some grit and are ready to go."

Former US soldier Jordan Matson, who is also fighting with the YPG, has called Mr Enright "mentally unstable" and accused him of trying to sell his story to the media.

However, the actor said claims that he was seeking publicity were "baloney".

"This is the most important thing I've ever done with my life. I made a commitment to stay here until we've beaten Isis and that's what I intend to do," Enright added.