UK tourists killed in bus crash

Six people are thought to have died at the scene and two later

Police in South Africa have started an investigation into a minibus crash in which eight British tourists died.

Their vehicle overturned as the driver tried to avoid a pedestrian near the town of Bergville on Wednesday afternoon.

"Someone ran out into the road causing the driver to swerve" said a Foreign Office spokeswoman.

Two other British tourists, a Canadian, the South African driver and a tour guide were also hurt in the accident.

The victims were named as: Roger and Linda Pearce, 60 and 49, from Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire; Neil Pike, 35, and Christine Rowe, 30, a couple from Preston, Lancashire; retired couple, Stephen and Marion Moon from Maidstone, Kent; Dr Anthony Egan from Surbiton, Surrey, and Thomas Harris from Cardiff, south Wales, both 65.

The bus swerved across the road and into a ditch - I saw bodies lying in the road Buyisiwe Miya Local resident

The two British survivors of the accident were Andrew Robertson, believed to be 58, and Sonia Willhoft, believed to be 61.

Ms Willhoft, of Surbiton, Surrey, was married to Dr Egan.

The minibus crashed on the R74 road between Harrismith and Bergville, in the Royal Natal National Park at around 1630 GMT, KwaZulu-Natal police said.

Linda and Roger Pearce were among the crash victims

Captain Joshua Gwala said the pedestrian, identified as South African Pelepele Miya, who is in his 20s, triggered the accident when he stepped into the road in front of the minibus. He was killed by the impact.

"It is believed that during the process, the driver lost control and the bus overturned," Superintendent Vusumuzi DLamini of Bergville Police told BBC News 24.

One eyewitness said the pedestrian involved may have been trying to commit suicide and said that other vehicles had been able to avoid him, although the minibus's trailer had hit him.

Local resident Buyisiwe Miya said: "The bus swerved across the road and into a ditch. I saw bodies lying in the road."

One of the victims, Mr Pearce, had retired as an NHS eye surgeon in July, and was using the holiday to celebrate his 60th birthday with his wife. The couple are survived by three daughters Claire, 23, Victoria, 25, and Nicola, 18.

Tearful daughters

Speaking from the family's home in Hertfordshire, Mr Pearce's brother, Geoffrey, said the family was "shocked and distressed".

Geoffrey Pearce said: "He will be sorely missed by his three daughters and numerous friends and relatives."

Family friend Norman Sadler said: "They were a lovely family, he was really good at his job and a real family man. She was a wonderful wife and mother."

The British tourists were all travelling with tour operator Exodus Travel.

Company spokesman Powell Ettinger said the group were on a walking safari covering different parts of South Africa and were on their way to do a trek in the Drakensberg Mountains at the time of the crash.

He said the minibus company was licensed and had been used many times before.

South Africa has some of the world's most dangerous roads, resulting in an estimated 10,000 people being killed each year.

The BBC's Richard Hamilton in Johannesburg said the festive period is one of the worst times for accidents.