Four children have been orphaned after both of their parents died in separate falls several days apart on a family holiday in Morocco.
Roger and Mathilde Lamb were on holiday with their four sons in the tourist resort of Essaouira on Morocco’s Atlantic coast when they died in separate incidents.
The exact circumstances of the death of the couple, from Pensham, near Pershore, Worcestershire, are still unknown.
A spokeswoman at the British embassy in Rabat confirmed reports that Ms Lamb, known as Tilly, had fallen from an apartment in Essaouira, while her husband died after a separate fall at a different building a few days later.
Today Ms Lamb’s brother-in-law Mark Rogerson said the couple’s four sons, aged between nine and 16, are back in the UK being looked after by relatives.
Speaking from his home in France, Mr Rogerson said they knew very few details about what happened, but heard about Ms Lamb’s death last Thursday after she apparently fell the previous night. They then heard about Mr Lamb’s death on Monday.
“We heard first of all that he was badly injured. And then on Monday we heard that he had died,” he said.
In a statement released on behalf of the family, Mr Rogerson said: “Roger and Tilly’s families have been deeply shocked and saddened by their tragic deaths while on holiday in Morocco.
“Our principal concern at the moment is to provide love and support to their four sons who have had to suffer the loss of both a mother and a father in swift succession.”
He said the boys were being “well cared for by relatives” and asked that the family’s privacy be respected. He also thanked British consular authorities in Morocco for their help.
Mr Rogerson, who described the couple as “lovely”, said geotechnical engineer Mr Lamb worked for some time in New Zealand, and there had been discussions about the rest of the family moving there.
“We knew that there had been discussion of where they might live, but we do not know the details,” he said.
“We weren’t actually aware that they were away on holiday.”
A spokeswoman from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office confirmed the death of two British nationals in Morocco, saying today: “We are providing consular assistance to the family at this difficult time.”
Ms Lamb’s body is due to be repatriated to Wiltshire, where some of her family come from, Wiltshire Police confirmed. It is not yet known to where her husband's remains will be repatriated.
PA