301 rescued in mission

THE British evacuation mission from Sudan has lifted 301 people to safety over four flights as the military races against time to rescue citizens while a fragile ceasefire holds.

Another RAF flight was preparing to depart the Wadi Saeedna airstrip near the capital of Khartoum yesterday afternoon, with a further three flights expected later in the day.

Downing Street said the flights have been "full or close to full", with no "significant issues" being faced by the evacuees who have been told to make their own way to the airfield.

The first plane bringing UK nationals from Sudan landed at Stansted Airport yesterday at around 2.30pm from Lanarca, Cyprus. There were children on the flight, a Foreign Office spokesperson said.

More than 2,000 British nationals have registered in Sudan under evacuation plans, but thousands more could be in the country.