BRITISH tourists have clashed with Sharm el-Sheikh hotel staff as tensions rise over delayed flights, although North-East holidaymakers say they still feel safe at the Egyptian resort.

The Government has suspended flights between the UK and the resort - with services to and from Newcastle among those affected - amid growing evidence that a Russian airliner was downed by a bomb.

Holidaymakers have not been told when they will be able to get a flight back to the UK, and have reacted angrily at being charged to stay in the resort's hotels.

Emma Smyth, who is staying around 12 miles from the airport in the Aqua Blu hotel, said the frustrations are starting to boil over.

"Because English people are frustrated and upset, they are taking it out on the staff here, which is not fair," she said.

"One English family, who are obviously upset and concerned, have asked the hotel if they can stay on. The hotel have set a charge and the tourists can not understand why they are being charged.

"They said they should be allowed to stay and with that one man grabbed one of the managers - they ripped his shirt, ripped his name-badge off and everything."

Mrs Smyth, 41, who is staying in a party of nine at the hotel, was due to fly back on Friday morning but claimed she had not had any communication from easyJet about their scheduled flight.

"I can understand why the English are out here are getting frustrated and do want to get to home, but at the same time there is no communication coming in from any of the tour operators."

Natasha Sugden, from Bishop Auckland, who is on holiday at the resort with her mother Melanie Sugden, said they felt safe and were happy staying until the end of their holiday.

"I am not worried at all. It is very safe here as normal, nothing has changed.

"I'm not due home yet. I will worry about that when I'm due back. It will be all over by then."

Ms Sugden said she was surprised the Government had cancelled flights after letting thousands of holidaymakers fly to the resort following the Russian airliner disaster.

"How can the Government cancel flights after they let so many out?

"They shouldn't just cancel flights with no evidence of what happened. It's the Egyptian tourism that I feel for."

Thomson Airways, who operate the flights from Newcastle Airport to the resort, said all customers booked to travel to Sharm el-Sheikh up to Thursday, November 12 would be provided with a full refund.