4:02pm UK, Sunday January 16, 2011
British tourists stranded in Tunisia have hit out at fellow travellers who have complained of ''over-reaction'' from tour operators at bringing them home.
The row has come as tour operators Thomson and First Choice flew nearly 1,500 customers back to safety in the UK on Sunday.
However, the Association of British Travel Agents (Abta) estimated that around 5,000 British tourists are in Tunisia at popular resorts including Sousse, Portel Kantoui, Hammamet, Djerba, Skanes and Mahdia.
It is also thought there are approximately 1,000 British ex-pats living in Tunisia.
One group stuck at the airport, on an overland tour from Turkey, through Syria, Egypt, Jordan and Libya before ending in Tunisia, was preparing for its second night at the airport.
James Milner-WalkerIn our hotel we heard gunshots and the staff told us to keep away from the windows. They said it was better not to go out.
Among them are James Milner-Walker, 32, and fellow traveller April Clark, 33, both from Petersfield, Hampshire, who were sat in a second-floor coffee bar which had long run out of food and drink.
Mr Milner-Walker said: "In our hotel we heard gunshots, and the staff told us to keep away from the windows. They said it was better not to go out and we should keep the shutters down.
"We have seen some nasty rioting, though, from the windows and there has been plenty of tear gas and things set on fire.
"The rioters were throwing petrol bombs and stones at the police and it was pretty scary.
Tunisia's National Guard secure the country's streets
"To hear people say they are upset and tour companies have over-reacted is a bit much - I can only think they have not seen the level of violence that we have."
Ms Clark said: ''There are police everywhere and we should have stayed here for a few more days, but after the rioting we saw we decided it was best to try and leave.
"We managed to get a taxi to the airport but that took ages, and we have been here since Friday morning, waiting for our flight.
"Those that are back should be grateful they are safe at home. There is no food or water here and we are living on a packet of crisps.''
British Foreign & Commonwealth Office spokesmanBritish people should not go to Tunisia unless they have an essential reason - and essential is not a holiday.
Graham Sadler, 38, from Southampton, tour leader with Oasis Overland, said: ''It was pretty hairy in the city. There were police everywhere and there was a lot of shooting going on.
''I was in a hotel when I saw some police shouting at a guy on a balcony and then they started shooting at him. The staff pulled me back inside and then pulled the shutters down.
''A few minutes later they opened them up, looked outside and then looked at me with a look on his face as if to say: 'not very good don't look outside'.
''We have been here two days now and you have to take things as they come at you, but I will be glad to get back and I'm surprised people are complaining.
Some British holidaymakers are home already
''In my opinion, getting out of here is the safest option. I know the feeling is that tourists are not being targeted, but when someone has a gun they probably don't have a preference who they shoot.''
A spokesman for the Foreign Office warned travellers to avoid all non-essential travel to Tunisia.
He said: "British people should not go to Tunisia unless they have an essential reason - and essential is not a holiday."
Tour companies implemented emergency evacuation programmes following the unrest, which saw the country's president take refuge in Saudi Arabia.
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