Morocco blast Britons return home

Mel Potter: Glad to be back safely in the UK

Four British men who survived the terror attacks in Morocco have arrived back in the north-east of England.

At least 40 people died after five bombs exploded in Casablanca after suicide bombers targeted hotels and bars used by Europeans.

Mel Potter, 50, from Durham City, Tony Wilson, 51, from Peterlee, Brian Reed, 40, from Hartlepool, and a fourth, unnamed man, were working in the city at the time.

On Sunday morning they arrived back at Newcastle International Airport, and said they wanted to get their lives "back to normal".

Mr Potter was returning to Casablanca's Hotel Safir when he heard the bomb go off - one of a total of five.

Speaking in Newcastle after his return he said: "We got to the hotel shortly after the blast, and there were a lot of people gathering, and emergency services were arriving.

'Fairly chaotic'

"The front foyer of the hotel had been completely destroyed."

Mr Potter said: "There was the sort of confusion you would expect in that sort of incident, it was a major incident, there were people milling around, it was fairly chaotic.

"We couldn't get access to our room for our passport and tickets - we were all packed ready to go, but they didn't know the security situation within the building.

"We were forced to stay another night and just arrived home today."

Mr Potter, who works for clothing firm Dewhirst Textiles, said he may have been caught up in the blast if he had returned to his hotel as planned.

The father-of-two said: "We had a meal and stayed out longer then we might have done, we were making our way back when we heard the blast.

The Safir Hotel was one of five targets

"People were saying a bomb had gone off. We walked the 500 yards back to our hotel and found the devastation.

"But for the fact we stayed out a little bit longer we might well have been in it."

He was able to use his mobile phone to tell his family that he was not injured, before the story broke in the international media.

He quickly called his wife, Anne, and their children, Aron, 24, and Faye, 21, to let them know what had happened.

Mr Potter said he had no problems with going back to Morocco but would have to discuss the matter with his colleagues.

He said: "We dealt with it, we are all back here safe and sound. Life goes on and now it is 'back to normal'."

The UK Foreign Office has reviewed its travel advice for British tourists to Morocco since the suicide bombings.

On Saturday evening it posted fresh advice on its website urging Britons to maintain a high degree of vigilance, and to avoid crowds and public places frequented by foreigners.

Officials are not advising against travel to the North African country, but states there is now "a clear threat from international terrorism".