British ex-patriates in Kenya have spoken of their shock and dismay after the government closed the British High Commission in the country but did not give them any advice.

The Foreign Office has closed the Commission in Nairobi until further notice because of a "specific threat" - but has not advised British citizens to avoid the country.

There has been increased concern for the safety of Britons in the east African Commonwealth country after the Mombasa hotel bombing a week ago.

They (Foreign Office) are like the people who made sure they got off the boat safely from the Titanic and we are sort of left on the sinking ship British ex-pat in Kenya

Speaking in Kenya, one ex-pat said: "It was like the British High Commission has evacuated itself and left us all behind."

The unnamed former British citizens were speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Thursday, the day after the High Commission closure.

'More information'

One woman said: "They are like the people who made sure they got off the boat safely from the Titanic and were are sort of left on the sinking ship."

Others said more information was needed - sometimes British people were not told of developments until later in the day.

"I've been abroad 12 years and this is the first time I have read a Foreign Office travel advisory, but unfortunately it is not particularly revealing," said another ex-pat.

Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesman Menzies Campbell said the government had to keep some intelligence confidential to avoid a risk to sources.

But he added that British ex-pats would need to have the most up-to-date information to enable them to "take precautions for their own safety".

"On this occasion you would have thought the Foreign Office would have wanted to go out of its way to meet the anxieties we have just heard," he said.

High Commission spokesman Mark Norton said on Wednesday that a specific threat had been received.

The commission would be closed while an investigation was carried out.

Mr Norton could not reveal the nature of the threat, or comment on any possible link with the recent attacks.

Foreign Office staff are not currently being withdrawn from Kenya and the advice to Britons is to be vigilant in the country, while not advising against travel to the area.

The recent suicide attack at the Paradise Hotel in Mombasa claimed the lives of three Israelis, nine Kenyans, three suicide bombers and an unidentified person.

At about the same time an attempt was made to shoot down an Israeli airliner taking off nearby.