Gary Colley, 34, is the ninth foreign tourist to be killed in the state since last autumn and the second this week.

The lorry driver and his partner, Margaret Jagger, both from Wilsden, West Yorkshire, were shot at on a highway 25 miles from Tallahassee after being threatened by a gang of youths.

Ms Jagger was taken to a hospital in the state capital where she received stitches for bullet grazes and is now staying at a secret location in the town.

The couple were half way through their two-week fly-drive holiday and were travelling from Orleans, Louisiana, to Tampa, Florida, when they decided to break their journey.

They had gone to sleep in their rental car and were woken in the early hours of the morning by a tapping on the window.

A witness told police he saw three black youths, aged about 16, drive into the lay-by.

Two of them approached the pair's vehicle to demand money and the shooting began seconds later.

Reward

Both side windows of the tourists' Chevrolet Cavalier were shattered in the attack.

Mr Colley was hit in the neck and died at the scene, but his girlfriend was able to telephone for the emergency services after the youths fled.

Florida relies heavily on tourist income and State Governor Lawton Chiles immediately offered a £6,500 reward for information leading to the arrest of the attackers.

He is also reported to have drafted in all available police officers to work on the case.

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