At least five Britons are now feared to be among the 187 people killed in a bomb attack on the Indonesian island of Bali.

The British ambassador to Jakarta, Richard Gozney, said on Sunday evening he was "pretty sure" the toll would rise from the one confirmed and one reported dead to five or six.

"Much more worrying than that there are still about 25 British people not accounted for, some of whom were seen around there very shortly beforehand," he told Channel Four News.

"We are afraid that that figure of five or six dead is going to rise quite considerably still."

Helpline numbers

British Consulate: 00 62 361270572 Foreign Office: 0207 0080000

The Foreign Office in London also said five or six UK nationals were feared to have been killed, but reiterated that only one fatality had been confirmed so far.

Officials named the dead man as Marc Gajardo, 30, from Cornwall. His relatives, who are believed to live in the Truro area, have been informed.

Hospital officials have estimated 75% of the dead were foreigners, among them Australians and Germans, with at least another 210 reported injured.

Another bomb went off near the US consulate in Bali's capital Denpasar but no one was reported injured.

The British Consulate in Bali has set up a 24 hour telephone number for people anxious about relatives or friends in Kuta.

The Foreign Office said 40 British nationals were injured in the Bali explosions. Fourteen were still hospital, with 26 having been treated and discharged.

Identification

UK tour operators are preparing to fly home some of the 1,000 British tourists who were on Bali, while holiday companies are arranging alternative destinations for holidaymakers booked to visit Indonesia in the coming days.

Earlier on Sunday Mr Gozney told BBC Radio 4's The World this Weekend: "We are not fearing the very worst, but we do fear that that number of Britons may well rise over the next few hours."

Mr Gozney said identification of the casualties was proving difficult. He added that the "vast majority" of Indonesians were "absolutely appalled" by the outrage.

The 22 Britons still officially unaccounted for, plus three Irish people whom the British consulate has assumed responsibility for, are being urged to contact authorities.

No-one has claimed responsibility for the attacks, but the US embassy in Jakarta recently issued warnings of possible attacks by Islamic militants linked to al-Qaeda.

A team of British forensic and counter-terrorism specialists are on their way to Kuta to help with the investigation.

Travel warning

Britons are being advised to avoid visiting Bali and only travel to other parts of Indonesia if absolutely necessary.

Glass was flying everywhere and people were screaming and running in all directions

Daniel Tyler

British Prime Minister Tony Blair has sent a message of sympathy to the families of those killed and injured.

A spokesman said Mr Blair was "horrified" by what he regarded to be an "appalling terrorist act".

Foreign Secretary Jack Straw told BBC News: "This is a desperate, terrible act of terrorism aimed at entirely innocent people who have no argument with these terrorists, and even if they were to this is no way to conduct a political dispute."

To help Britons on Bali the consul operation has been expanded, including a member of staff from Singapore who was caught-up in the blast but uninjured.

Reports say the explosion was caused by a car bomb outside the Sari Club, a nightspot popular with Western tourists in Kuta.

British tourist Daniel Tyler in Bali told BBC News Online he was in a bar near the club when the carnage began.

The blasts went off as Saturday night crowds were out

He said in an e-mail: "We heard a big bang from the direction of the Sari nightclub and then a second massive explosion from which everyone was thrown around.

"Glass was flying everywhere and people were screaming and running in all directions, I realised this was a bomb immediately and dived to the floor thinking the bar would collapse as the whole building shook from the force of the bomb.

"I ran out the back of the Bagus bar to see glass everywhere and a 50ft ball of fire coming from the Sari club. It was the most frightening experience of my life."

Saved by pillar

Tourist Kevin Mattocks, in Bali with cousin, said he was in Irish pub Paddy's Bar, in the same area, when the blast happened.

He said: "There were two explosions.

"The first one was on the opposite side to us, which made us go to the floor.

Tourists are queuing to get flights out of Bali

"It was a pillar that saved us from the second blast."

Mr Mattocks said he could not walk because of his injuries, and had a constant ringing in his ears.

He said: "I've suffered injuries to my right and left leg because I jumped over the wall to get away.

"I didn't know what else was going to happen."

Hundreds of thousands of tourists flock to Bali every year for the idyllic tropical beaches, deep blue sea and lush green forests.

The resort of Kuta is packed with bars, restaurants and nightclubs and has Bali's biggest tourist beach.

The 24 hour telephone number set up by the British Consulate in Bali for people anxious about relatives or friends in Kuta is 00 62 361 270 572.