The BBC's Andrew Bomford: Hostages on their way home at last

The eight Britons and one Australian who narrowly escaped death touched down at Gatwick Airport at 19.13 GMT.

As they boarded their plane to leave the Yemen, local people gave them flowers and held a banner saying: "We are sorry". Our correspondent in Yemen says most Yemenis are appalled by what has happened.

Four officers from Scotland Yard, in London, and 10 from the FBI, are in Yemen to help discover who was responsible for the kidnappings.

Frank Gardner: "Most Yemenis are appalled"

The investigators, who include three members of Scotland Yard's anti-terrorist branch, want to learn more about the kidnappers - who call themselves Islamic Jihad - and whether they have links with the Saudi dissident, Osama Bin Laden.

Osama bin Laden is accused by the US of being behind the bombings of its embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.

The Yemeni authorities say the kidnap gang does have links to extremist Islamic groups outside the country.

The FBI and Scotland Yard also want to learn if the rescue operation was - as the Yemeni authorities say - necessary because the kidnappers had started killing hostages.

Three Britons and one Australian were killed as Yemeni forces attempted to rescue them from kidnappers on 28 December.

One of the 10 hostages told the BBC that the Yemeni authorities asked him to change his story as to how his wife died.

Laurence Whitehouse said Yemeni officials wanted him to say the kidnappers had shot his wife.

He says he does not know whether it was the kidnappers or the Yemeni troops sent in to rescue them that fired the fatal bullet.

Before boarding his plane Mr Whitehouse said he was not threatened by Yemeni security officers.

But Mr Whitehouse said that during questioning he told them: "I shouted at the terrorists: 'You have shot my wife, you have shot my wife'. I added a clause that the bullets could have come from anywhere. They did not like this clause, they asked me to delete it."

He added: "My life is fundamentally changed.

Laurence Whitehouse: "You have shot my wife"

"When I get home I will have to face up to Margaret's Christmas presents which are still waiting for her under our Christmas tree."

The hostages flew to London's Gatwick Airport via Paris, accompanied by a representative from the holiday organiser, Explore Worldwide.

Those who are feeling well enough are expected to speak about their ordeal at a news conference upon arrival.

Two hostages are still in a Yemen hospital recovering from injuries sustained during the shoot-out.

Yemen's Ambassador to London, Dr Hussein al-Amri, has been summoned to the Foreign Office for the second time in two days to answer questions about the incident.