British man shot dead in Uganda

A British man has been shot dead while helping four rafters who ran into trouble on an expedition in Uganda.

Steve Willis - a former diplomat who ran a backpackers camp in Uganda - died instantly when two Lord's Resistance Army rebels shot at the group's car.

Two of the rafters - from the UK and New Zealand - were injured in the ambush, including team co-leader Neil McGrigor, from Lymington, Hampshire.

A message from the expedition said the team was "deeply shocked and saddened".

The team was aiming to be the first to ascend the entire River Nile, taking them from Egypt though Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda.

Mr Willis, who was 36 and originally from Dartford, Kent, leaves behind his wife Debbie, originally from Eastbourne, and their two-year-old son Joe.

Mrs Willis was described by a friend as being "in complete shock".

The couple ran a chain of backpacker hostels called Red Chilli, including one in Murchison Falls National Park, where the attack happened.

The Foreign Office, which advises against travel to the park, said it had sent two of its consular staff to the area. Officials were in close contact with the family and knew Mr Willis from his time as an employee there, they said.

Before the vehicle crashed it was raked with gun fire Neil McGrigor Trek man speaks of shooting

Tracey Clarke, press spokeswoman for the expedition called Ascend the Nile, said the team had called for help after becoming stuck on a set of rapids.

"They reached a point where they could not go any further. They needed to pick up the kit and boats and go round the rapids."

Mr Willis answered their call from his campsite nearby and arrived with a Land Rover, but as they left the river's edge they were attacked.

As well as Mr McGrigor, the team was made up of Briton George Heathcote, and New Zealanders Cam McLeay and Garth MacIntyre.

'Shattered'

As the rebels fired shots, the team scattered into the surrounding bush.

Mr McGrigor could not escape because of his injuries, and was brought back to the vehicle as the rebels looted it and set it alight.

"He thought he was going to be shot, he is still counting his blessings," said Ms Clarke.

The Briton suffered burns while Mr MacIntyre received a bullet graze to the head.

Mr McGrigor raised the alarm and the pair were rescued by helicopter from the park along with Mr Heathcote.

Everybody is in shock, no one can believe that he has gone - not our Steve Abbey Kassam, Uganda

Mr McLeay, who lives in Uganda, spent more than five hours in the bush before returning to the road where he was picked up by the Ugandan army, Ms Clarke added.

The whole team was "shattered and devastated", she said, and thinking of Mr Willis's family.

They would be reunited in Kampala on Wednesday and no decision had been taken on the future of the trip, she said.

She said the expedition was "responsible and very self-sufficient" and had never intended to stray from the river while travelling through the park.

Mr Willis's fishing partner and friend Peter Bowser spoke of his friend, a fanatical Manchester United fan.

"Steve was a fantastic guy, very lively with a big family.

"He will be sorely missed by a lot of people."

Of the shooting he said he seemed to be "in the wrong place at the wrong time".

Mr Heathcote and Mr McGrigor were joined by two New Zealanders

The former diplomat's closest friend in Uganda, Abbey Kassam, said he had seen Mr Willis at a barbecue on Sunday.

"He went to watch Manchester United with all his mates and of course they won (against Chelsea)," he said.

"At least he met all his mates, so we sent him off on a good note. He had so many friends, hundreds of friends - once he gave you his friendship, that was it.

"Everybody is in shock, no one can believe that he has gone - not our Steve."

Lt Chris Magezi said the Ugandan army was in "hot pursuit" of the attackers.

He said the commander in the park area had been arrested while the army investigated the incident.

The Ascend the Nile team was being sponsored by upmarket food store Fortnum & Mason. The shop said in a statement that it was "deeply saddened" by Mr Willis' death.

The UK Foreign Office advises against all travel to northern and north-eastern Uganda "because of rebel insurgency and tribal clashes".

The Lord's Resistance Army has been waging a war, with no clear agenda, in northern Uganda and southern Sudan for 19 years. In the past month its members have killed three aid workers.