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, are believed to have flown out to the Middle East over the weekend to be with Mr Haslam as he recovers.

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)."

His comments came as York MP Hugh Bayley offered to raise concerns about the safety of the party's vehicle.

Foreign Office officials finally confirmed the names of the nine dead Britons over the weekend. Three other York residents, Owen and Jean Dale, and Hilda Brisby, died.

'My heart goes out to the families'

FOREIGN Office officials have confirmed the names of the four people from York who were among the nine Britons killed in the crash.

They were Margaret Haslam, 70, and Hilda Brisby, 80, of York, and retired couple Owen and Jean Dale, aged 66 and 63 respectively, of Dunnington.

A Foreign Office spokesman confirmed that Mrs Haslam's husband, Graham, aged in his late 60s, was in hospital. He is receiving treatment for head injuries and a broken leg.

The couple's son and daughter were flown out to the country on Saturday by tour operators Pilgrim Travel, along with other relatives of the nine dead Britons.

The news came as York MP Hugh Bayley offered his condolences to those people affected by the tragedy.

He said: "My heart goes out to the families and friends of those who were killed or injured in this terrible accident, and I hope the injured will make a good recovery."

Others that died have been confirmed by officials as 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."

Mr Burgess said a coffee morning at Heworth Methodist Church on Saturday had gone ahead despite the terrible news, which gave the community a chance to "remember the good things".

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

They include retired Methodist Minister Graham Haslam, who worshipped at Heworth Methodist Church, and Roger and Trisha Brown of Dunnington, near York.

Mr Brown, 67, suffered a broken collarbone in the crash. His wife, Trisha, 66, suffered a black eye and an injury to her forehead.

Tributes to bus crash victims

FRIENDS and relatives of four York people killed in a bus crash in Jordan gathered to give thanks for their lives.

Worshippers packed two churches in the city for emotional services as churchgoers try to come to terms with the tragedy.

Members of the Methodist community are mourning the loss of Margaret Haslam, the wife of retired minister Graham Haslam, who led the overseas trip.

Churchgoers at Heworth Methodist Church were also reeling from the news that another worshipper there, Hilda Brisby, was also among the York dead.

At St Nicholas's Church, Dunnington, prayers were said for churchwarden Jean Dale and her husband Owen, who lost their lives in the crash.

The Rev Michael Searle, who led prayers at Dunnington yesterday, said he is "devastated" by the loss of two good friends.

He said he hoped his service would provide some comfort and relief for members of the tight-knit community at a very difficult time.

The Rev Isabel Stuart said her service at Heworth Methodist Church was an opportunity for congregation members to "affirm their faith" in the face of sudden tragedy.

She said: "Obviously, with a village community of this kind a tragedy like this is going to have a terrible effect.

"Our approach to worship has been to acknowledge that we are all experiencing different emotions and to come with these before God.

"We have been affirming our faith in Him and there was an appeal in the service for all those emotions to be expressed, as well as giving thanks. Our prayers and concern goes out to all those involved, the grieving, the injured and other pilgrims who have been affected.

"It is not just the grieving communities in this country that have been affected, but people in Jordan and Egypt as well."

Mrs Stuart added that she has shared with her congregation messages of support received by telephone and email from the Methodist community in the UK and abroad.

"The other thing that has been so touching is to have had so many people, from all denominations, reaching out to the people to help them through prayer," she said.

Relatives of those injured in the crash were thought to have arrived in Jordan over the weekend after the Foreign Office helped reunite them.

Among those travelling to the Middle East were believed to be the son and daughter of Graham and Margaret Haslam.

Nine Britons were killed in the crash when a tyre blew out and sent their tourist coach into the path of an oncoming lorry last Thursday.

Two Jordanians and an Egyptian also died in the accident, which happened 155 miles (250km) south of Amman, on a stretch of desert dual carriageway between Wadi Rum and Madaba

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. It was arranged by Christian holiday company Pilgrim Tours, based in Deal, Kent.

Updated: 10:08 Monday, November 01, 2004