A COUPLE today relived the terror of dodging bullets at Sri Lanka's international airport -- and received a security pledge from the Foreign Secretary after their brush with death.

Instead of a trouble-free flight to Heathrow at the end of a dream two-week holiday, Roy and Grace Dewhurst, of Stone Fold, Rising Bridge, found themselves cowering away from rebel Tamil gunmen outside Bandaranaike International Airport near the capital, Colombo.

Today Foreign Secretary and Blackburn MP Jack Straw said that he would do everything he could to try and improve security for Britons travelling in the area.

He said: "It was an extremely dangerous situation for the Britons involved, including the Dewhursts. We are in talks with the Sri Lankan authorities about improving security, but until that happens we are advising Britons not to go to Sri Lanka. They should avoid the country until that advice changes."

A tired-looking Mr and Mrs Dewhurst described their ordeal from their home, hours after touching down at Heathrow Airport yesterday and said they were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Nine rebels were killed after using mortars, guns and explosives to destroy eight military and five passenger aircraft in the latest attack in the country's long running civil war, on Tuesday. Five military personnel also died.

Mr Dewhurst,47, said they had no inkling of what was about to happen when they entered the airport.

He said: " We felt reassured by the level of security checks when we went in . There were loads of X-ray checks, body searches, metal detectors and baggage checks so you can imagine our surprise when we first heard the gunfire."

It was at 3.45am, when the couple were walking past the duty free shop in the almost deserted departure lounge when airport staff told the 150 European holiday makers to clear the area.

"We thought they had seen a suspicious item of luggage, but it wasn't long until we realised it was a lot more serious than that," said Mr Dewhurst, who runs an embroidery business called Quick Stitch with his wife on the Richmond Industrial Estate in Accrington.

The staff told the bewildered travellers to walk through a small passage which leads to the outside of the airport, where they were greeted by the terrifying sound of automatic gunfire.

But their ordeal had only just begun. Mr Dewhurst said: "We ran into some trees about 300 yards from the airport and bullets started bouncing off the road in front of us, so we all dived on to the floor.

"We were absolutely terrified, but nobody screamed because it was so important to stay calm. It was a miracle no-one was hurt.

He added: "We could see airport staff leaving by taxis from the main area but we were stranded without help. There was absolutely nothing we could do because it was too dangerous to get to the cars.

"It is only now we are coming to terms with what happened and we are glad to be home."

After finally escaping to relative safety a mile away an hour later, the traumatised tourists were eventually taken into Colombo by truck drivers, where their holiday company, Jet Wing, took them to a hotel well away from the troubled city.

But the couple had to relive their ordeal the next day when they flew home.

Mrs Dewhurst,44, said: "When we left we saw the burnt-out planes and bullet holes in the wall near the duty free shop, which was pretty traumatic .

She added: "Despite everything, we would probably go there again. The people are so lovely and the rebels were not like most people we met."