FEUDING Egyptian gangs held up a bus full of Gloucester farmers.
The group of about 20 from Gloucester Farmers' Dining Club are on a package holiday in the country until next Wednesday, but were stranded after a key road was cut off by fighting factions.
They were among more than 600 tourists being blockaded at Abu Simbel, a temple in the south of the country.
Farmer Richard Chapman, from Manor Farm in Longney, is on the trip but managed to avoid the drama by catching an internal flight to Abu Simbel from their Aswan base, while the rest of the group took a coach.
Speaking to The Citizen from Egypt, he said: "Our group went on a coach trip to Abu Simbel. They've been held up in a gun dispute by terrorists.
"We had the option of taking the coach, which takes three hours, or a 30-minute flight and my wife and I decided to fly.
"I have spoken to someone else in the party who is on the coach and he said they think they are pretty safe but I'm a bit concerned for them."
A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesman said the situation was 'being resolved' as The Citizen went to press. It is understood the party, and the hundreds of other tourists being prevented from leaving the area by the fighting, were allowed through after a few hours.
Philip Breckner, who runs Discover Egypt, the operator the farmers have travelled with, played down any threats.
"It's a local feud on a road between Aswan and Abu Simbel," he said. "Coaches of tourists going to this iconic symbol were unable to get out along this road. They were with my guides, being looked after, there's no issue."
The party, who all farm around the Gloucester area, flew out to Egypt on Monday and are due to return next Wednesday.
Robert Brookes, secretary of the NFU's Gloucester branch, said: "I've spoken to Richard and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and it seems there's no immediate threat."
He said most of the party is over 65. The dining club meets in Kingsholm and was formed as a discussion group for farmers.
