Britons flee violence in Tunisia

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has urged Britons who remain there not to breach the military's 6pm to 6am curfew in the interests of their own safety.

The advice came after a prison was set on fire yesterday, killing 42 people. A railway station has also been torched, and supporters of ousted President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who has fled to Saudi Arabia, have been driving round the capital Tunis shooting wildly from cars.

The FCO estimated 3,000 Britons were on holiday in the popular holiday destination yesterday morning. About 1,800 of them arrived home on emergency flights last night.

Of the eight hastily arranged transits, one organised by Thomson carrying more than 200 passengers was due to touch down in Glasgow Airport at 7pm and the rest arrived at or were bound for English airports.

The Glasgow flight had been due to arrive today at 4.10pm, but was brought forward by almost a day because of the protests.

The revolution - which experts say could trigger similar uprisings in other north African countries - was sparked by anger over unemployment and at a leadership many see as controlling and corrupt.

Ben Ali had promised to dismiss his government and call elections within six months, but that was not enough for thousands of angry demonstrators who marched through Tunis demanding his resignation. Many tourists were too afraid to make the journey from their hotel rooms to the airport as rioters and looters clashed with soldiers.

• Tunisia analysis: Dr Frederic Volpi, expert in Middle East politics

Those who made it home said they were shocked by the scenes they witnessed either from their hotel balconies or on leaving their resorts. Petrol stations on fire, smashed shop windows and tanks, military jeeps and armed personnel carriers on the streets fuelled an atmosphere of fear and intimidation. Some said they had been given insufficient warning before flying out in the first place.

Mary Grist, 66, from Chesterfield, a retired Marks & Spencer worker, said: "What we have seen is the aftermath, burned out petrol stations and the army lining the streets with their guns. It was quite scary, but I was never in fear for my life. I trusted the hotel and I think the curfew helped us feel safe.

"I don't think we should have been allowed to go on Wednesday. Had I known that there was already trouble I would have chosen not to go."

Pamela Wain, from Youlgrave, Derbyshire, who was on holiday with her husband Bill, added: "Last night the rep said that people were being evacuated because there had been riots, and that was the first we knew. At 6am we had letters telling us to get ready to leave in an hour because there had been more rioting. On the way to the airport we saw a filling station which had been blown up and was smoking."

Adam Wallace, 22, a security manager from Accrington, Lancashire, said: "When we went to the airport today it was a bit unnerving.

"There were police stood on the corners of roads and groups of people hanging about. It did feel a bit intimidating. But there was no animosity towards us as tourists."

One flight into Glasgow Airport and another out were delayed as tour operator Thomson commandeered planes for emergency flights out of Tunisia.

An airport spokeswoman said two flights had been disrupted. One that was supposed to depart for Genoa at 7.20am yesterday was delayed until 4.10pm, and yesterday's flight to Glasgow from Las Palmas was delayed until 8am today.

Carl Gissing, director of customer services for Thomson Airways, said: "Our local team have advised us that our customers are safe and well and we will continue to look after them until they are all safely evacuated."

In Tunisia, dozens more prisoners were killed as they tried to break out of Mahdia prison, following the deaths during the fire at the jail in the popular tourist destination of Monastir.

Up to 200 travellers have registered on the "locate" page of the FCO website, which lets officials know where they are in case they need help. The FCO is strongly advising against all but essential travel to Tunisia.

On Friday, Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi said he would take over as interim-president. However, yesterday Fouad Mebazaa, left, leader of the lower house, swore an oath of office. He now has six weeks to call an election.