All flights to UK from Gambia suspended

Flights to the UK from the crisis-stricken Gambia have been suspended by British tour operators, the Foreign Office said.

Holidaymakers were forced to leave the coastal African country this week as it teetered on the brink of military conflict following post-election unrest.

Unseated president Yaha Jammeh is expected to leave for Guinea, after previously risking intervention from neighbouring states when he refused to hand over power to his successor, Adama Barrow.

Around 1,000 sun-seekers on Thomas Cook packages were ordered to leave after the Foreign Office issued an alert late on Tuesday.

All package holiday tourists have now returned to the UK but some passengers who travelled independently could remain, Thomas Cook said.