Mrs Brown was loved by many, relatives said

Margaret Brown, 61, stumbled on the vehicle's steps as she took a photograph of the historic city of Bruges.

The grandmother-of-five from Llanelli was left in a coma for eight days with severe head injuries.

She was due to return on Monday - her 62nd birthday - but never regained consciousness and died in a hospital.

Mrs Brown was with a party of 68 others who were all customers of four south Wales pubs which organised the trip.

The party was leaving Bruges for Ostende

They were set to leave picturesque northern Belgium for a two-night stay in the port town of Ostende.

Mrs Brown was leaning out of the doorway of their bus to take photos when she fell down the steps and onto the roadway.

Hitting the ground, she cracked her skull and suffered other head injuries which left her comatose.

Her husband Bill and son Leslie flew to her bedside at St Jan's Hospital, where they agreed her life support machine should be switched off - they were told there was no prospect of recovery.

We held hands round her bed and cried unashamedly as her life ebbed away Leslie Brown, son

"They told me mum would never recover because the brain injuries were so severe," said Leslie.

"We agreed as a family to allow the life support machines to be switched off.

"We held hands round her bed and cried unashamedly as her life ebbed away.

"It was a difficult decision. But we want everyone to remember mum as she was, full of fun, laughing and a jolly person.

"Everyone loved her. We would like to thank everyone back home for their prayers and concern."

Praying

The party included regulars from Llanelli's Whitstable Inn, Burry Port's Farmers Arms, Carmarthen's The Inn on the Hill and Llanharan's Turboville Hotel.

I cannot believe something so simplye could prove so tragic Councillor Pam Every

Burry Port Town Councillor Pam Every, who was on the trip said: "I am just stunned and devastated for her loving family.

"We had been praying Margaret would recover.

"I saw her fall and just cannot believe something so simple could prove so tragic. The bang was horrendous.

"After the accident we just wanted to come home. All we could think about was Margaret

"She was just so much fun and well known her death will affect a lot of people."