Teenagers leave parents in Beirut

Rachel Curry (far right) and Chris (left) will stay with her boyfriend

A brother and sister from Kent who have returned to England as part of the British evacuation of Lebanon had to leave their parents behind.

Chris and Rachel Curry, from Canterbury, had to say goodbye to their mother, who is Vice Consul at the British Embassy in Beirut.

Their father also stayed. "I am very worried about them," said Rachel, 19.

They will now go to Southend, Essex, with the family of Rachel's boyfriend who also fled Lebanon with them.

The three of them arrived at Gatwick Airport in the early hours of Thursday.

Chris Curry, 16, said: "It feels wonderful to be back home, but obviously I've had to leave my parents there and some of my friends."

Chris Curry filmed explosions in Beirut on his mobile phone

He flew out to Lebanon on 8 July to meet up with his sister and her boyfriend, Charles Salmon, who had gone out two weeks before.

Rachel, who is studying at Royal Holloway College, at Egham in Surrey, said: "I'm quite glad that I'm back but also quite concerned for their [her parents'] health and safety.

"It's hard being here watching the news and knowing that bombs are going off all the time. I'm just hoping it isn't going to be them next."

Ms Curry defended the embassy's response to the Lebanon crisis, saying her mother and other staff were "working 15-hour shifts".

"She's gone over and beyond her call of duty," she said.

"She wants to stay to make sure all these 15,000 Brits are out of the country."