County tourists missing in China

8:44am Wednesday 14th May 2008

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TWO holidaymakers from Herefordshire are missing in China.

Paul Keetch, MP for Hereford, said he has been contacted by family members of the missing tourists following a major earthquake earlier this week Family members do not wish the pair to be named at the current time but they are constituents of Mr Keetch's and are understood to be in one of the areas hit by the earthquake.

"The Foreign Office is aware of them," said Mr Keetch. "I think they were in the general region and were travelling at the time.

"The family member does not know exactly where they were but they were certainly in that region."

He said that the Foreign Office has deployed a rapid response consular team which has seen British diplomats from Hong Kong head into the region.

The British ambassador from Beijing will also go to the region today (Wednesday May 14), he added.

In House of Commons yesterday (Tuesday May 13) Mr Keetch asked the Foreign Secretary for assurances that the British response would be similar to that following the tsunami in south east Asia in 2004.

"They may be other Britons with them as well and it is important to do this not just for the people from Herefordshire but the others as well," Mr Keetch said.

"The relative who contacted me is pleased with what is happening so far. The diplomatic team will be able to provide feedback and then the family and I will be informed about what is happening."

The earthquake is thought to have claimed more than 12,000 lives in China. It struck in the south-west of the country on Monday (May 14).