Family lives in hope for flood victim

The parents of a young British woman who was swept away by a flash flood while hiking in the United States, said last night they were still hopeful that she would be found alive.

Charlotte Warmington, 24, a nursery nurse, was feared drowned with 10 other hikers in an Arizona canyon after a flood sent down an 11-ft wall of water. So far two bodies have been recovered and officials feared last night that the other nine hikers were dead.

Ms Warmington's parents, Brian and Gillian Warmington, were waiting for developments after learning that their daughter was missing. Her father, from Yarningdale Common, near Henley-in-Arden, Warwickshire, said: "She was quite a strong swimmer and this is what we are able to to hope for, because we feel that if she had an opportunity, she would have done something."

They were not the only family to suffer tragedy during a holiday. Relatives of Charlotte Gibb, injured in a shooting which killed her boyfriend, Max Hunter, visited her in hospital in Israel, where she had been holidaying.

Also in the US, another hiker, from Derbyshire, fell to his death in Yosemite National Park. In the Dominican Republic 300 holidaymakers were evacuated from a hotel after it was found guests had contracted typhoid. The incidents highlighted a spate of fatal and life-threatening incidents that have befallen British holidaymakers. Victims of violence in Cyprus and Hungary spoke yesterday about their experience.

To add to the atmosphere of uncertainty, Egyptian authorities said an Islamic group which massacred 18 Greek tourists outside a Cairo hotel last year had planned more attacks on foreigners.

Ms Gibb, 20, who was shot while hitch-hiking with Mr Hunter, 22, was seen in hospital in Beersheba by her parents, David and Jennifer, and sister Gima, from Lincolnshire. Mr Gibb said: "She is recovering well ...She seems to have had a very fortunate escape".

In Yosemite National Park, California, Charles Richards, 67, from Derbyshire, died after falling 50 feet on Sunday. Officials are trying to ascertain what happened.

In the Dominican Republic resort of Juan Dolio, Thomson Holidays moved 300 holidaymakers from Diamond Costa Caribe Hotel after three women fell ill with typhoid.

In Cyprus a woman wept as she gave evidence at the trial of British soldiers accused of attacking her boyfriend at a holiday resort. Clare Harbour, 22, from Lee, south London, said they kicked and punched Barry Ford, 23.