Britons may have to pay to be evacuated from danger zones

Britons caught up in emergencies abroad could face a bill in future if the Government helps get them home.

A Foreign and Commonwealth Office report into the chaotic evacuation from Libya in February warns that people in a danger zone might be tempted to wait for government transport - rather than take commercial flights before a situation reached crisis point - if they thought they could save money.

Hundreds of Britons were evacuated from Libya on chartered flights, warships and RAF aircraft when the fighting flared. The British response was criticised at the time, and David Cameron said lessons would be learned.

The report into what went wrong said: "If commercial flights are available, UK nationals should be encouraged to take those options and UK and other nationals leaving on an assisted evacuation should be asked to make a financial contribution."

Jong-Kuk Lee, a construction worker who lives in Surbiton, was evacuated from Libya. His daughter Joo Lee, 26, said: "The Foreign Office was quite slow to react. If they then try to charge for what I found a slow response I think that would add insult to injury."