IT is hard enough to lose a loved one in tragic circumstances which unfold close to home. It is even harder for families when a death occurs abroad.

We, therefore, have sympathy with campaigners who have been protesting outside the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) about a perceived lack of support for British families who relatives die in other countries.

Julie Sheppard has been striving to confirm the truth about the death of her son Andrew Watt, 31, of Durham City, since he was found dead in a country lane in France in 2010.

The family of Christopher Rochester, 24, Chester-le-Street, have been fighting to bring medics to account for neglect after his death resulted from a balcony fall in Greece in 2000.

Other bereaved families, facing similar frustrations, have joined the protests, calling for the FCO to have a specialist department for people who lose loved ones abroad.

The FCO’s response has been that “the death of any British national is a matter for the judicial process of the country they died in”.

It seems to us to be missing the point. Of course, criminal justice systems in other countries have to be respected, just as we expect visitors to abide by our laws.

That does not mean there should not be greater support to help families deal with the complexities of those foreign judicial systems.

It is a matter of concern that so many families feel let down – and the Government should be asking itself whether more could be done.