THE retired Methodist minister who organised the Christian tour of Jordan in which nine Britons died has spoken of the tragedy for the first time.

Graham Haslam lost his wife Margaret, 70, when a tyre on their coach blew out, sending it careering into the path of an oncoming truck near the ancient city of Petra.

The York couple's children, Sarah and Jonathan, have flown out to the Middle East over the weekend to be with Mr Haslam as he recovers in hospital.

Speaking to reporters in the Jordanian capital Amman he said: "We had had a wonderful trip. It's most unfortunate that it ended in this way. "I think all of us will be looking forward to going home now and getting on with our lives."

Foreign Office officials have now finally confirmed the names of the nine dead Britons.

Those killed as well as Mrs Haslam were Hilda Brisby, 80, of York; retired couple Owen and Jean Dale, aged 66 and 63 respectively, of Dunnington near York; Nancy Ansbro, 67, and her friend Hazel Clement, 62, from Louth, Lincolnshire, and Richard Fothergill, 67, and his wife Angela, 65, from Gosforth, Newcastle.

The ninth victim was revealed as Frederick Leonard Tant, 69, of Uxbridge, west London.

The Rev Stephen Burgess, chairman of the York and Hull District Methodist Church, said: "We are thinking of them and their families and friends. As a Methodist community, we want to continue to offer support to them and the Methodist congregation."

The Foreign Office said that nine other Britons were recovering in hospital in the Jordanian capital of Amman.

As well as Mr Haslam they include Roger and Trisha Brown, aged 67 and 66 respectively, of Dunnington, near York.

The group were returning from a visit to the ancient city of Petra when the accident happened. The trip was part of an eight-day spiritual tour of Jordan.