Gun battle Britons arrive home

Families were welcomed home in emotional scenes

British tourists caught up in a gun battle at a Sri Lankan airport have arrived back in the UK.

Forty seven Britons were trapped in a fire fight between rebel and government troops at the country's only international airport on Tuesday.

Eighteen people died in the strike by Tamil Tigers, timed for the anniversary of the start of a long-running civil war.

The worst thing that could happen, did happen

Jimmy Bellieni

But none of the tourists, who fled and hid, were injured.

Worried families waiting at Heathrow Airport on Thursday greeted the holidaymakers with flowers, hugs and tears.

Newlywed Jimmy Bellieni, 36, who was trapped in a ditch as gunfire snapped overhead, said their ordeal could have been avoided.

"We always realised there was a problem with the Tamils but no one told us it was the 17-year anniversary of something like 600 Tamils getting killed," he said.

"We shouldn't have been at the airport - as simple as that."

Mr Bellieni compared the ordeal to the start of the film Saving Private Ryan depicting the D-day landings. But he said it would not put him off Sri Lanka.

Jim Bellieni: Compared ordeal to film Saving Private Ryan

"Sri Lanka is a beautiful country, a lovely place with beautiful people," he said.

Others spoke of their relief at finally arriving home.

Peter Board, 66 and his wife Jeanette, of Cardiff were in a coach to the airport when the fighting broke out.

He said the coach driver realised what was happening and did a three-point turn and sped away.

'Carnage'

"A rally driver couldn't have done better," he said.

"I feel very relieved to be back."

Emma Lynch, meeting her boyfriend Mark Turner was grateful to have him home safely.

"It was a nightmare. I just wanted him to come home."

Peter Board: Relieved to be back

Most flights have now resumed from Bandaranaike International Airport but the returning tourists said they had to walk past the aftermath of the fire-fight to get to the plane.

"Walking onto the tarmac we saw all the carnage, craters and burned out planes," said one.

The Foreign Office has advised visitors to postpone trips to Sri Lanka.

Military aircraft and 11 civilian planes, half the national fleet, were damaged or destroyed in the attack.

Counselling

Some tourists have not yet returned but Sri Lankan Airlines says all passengers have been given a seat and a date for return.

A second flight from Colombo is due to arrive at Heathrow at midday on Thursday.

Tourists ran for their lives when the shelling started

Some of the airlines at Heathrow had counsellors on standby and have offered follow-up support.

But the tourism industry's attitude to a country where some areas are gripped in civil war, has been criticised by Robert Evans, MEP for west London.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I think that the tour industry and travel companies have perhaps been less than honest in not warning people that Sri Lanka, and holidays that go through Colombo Airport, have an element of risk".

Keith Betton, of the Association of British Travel Agents, told the programme that tour operators were telling customers this week and next to cancel their holiday plans and offering refunds.