THE family of a North-East woman killed in a bomb blast while on holiday in Turkey will not get any compensation from the British Government.

Helyn Bennett's mother, Sharon Holden, said yesterday - on the day some victims of the London bombings received compensation - that she felt her family had been forgotten and abandoned.

Miss Bennett, of Spennymoor, County Durham, died in the Turkish holiday resort of Kusadasi on July 16 when a terrorist bomb ripped apart a minibus she was on.

The 23-year-old trainee chef was one of five people killed in the blast, which also seriously injured her fiance, Stephen Stables.

Four other members of her family were hurt in the attack, thought to be the work of Kurdish separatist group the PKK.

Mrs Holden told The Northern Echo: "When it happened I didn't feel angry. Now it's hitting home that we've been abandoned I do feel angry. There are collections and support for victims of the London bombings, which I would not deny them.

"But what about my family? I feel my daughter and family have been forgotten. Because it was in Turkey, the Government can ignore it."

Mrs Holden said family members were still suffering the effects of their injuries.

"Some financial support would make all of our lives easier," she said. "We are constantly spending money travelling to hospital appointments and paying for prescriptions, while some of us can't go back to work.

"We just want to concentrate on getting better instead of worrying about money."

The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority confirmed that it could not make payments under the law unless an attack was made in Great Britain and said the family should pursue the matter with the Turkish authorities.

Mrs Holden said the family had tried to pursue the issue of compensation in Turkey without success.

She said: "Our solicitor actually wrote to a Turkish solicitor who speaks English, but apparently he's got no word back so he's going to have to try another Turkish solicitor. It looks as if it's going to be a long haul."