A NORTH-EAST teacher trapped by the crossfire as gun battles rage around the holy town of Bethlehem spoke last night of the horrors she has witnessed.

Claire Theret, one of a party of international observers sheltering inside the Aida refugee camp on the outskirts of Bethlehem, said she had seen a litany of atrocities as Israeli armour rolled through the streets of Jesus's birthplace.

The 44-year-old languages teacher from Newcastle said refugees were running the gauntlet of Israeli sharp-shooters. She was speaking as Israeli troops held an armed stand-off with 160 Palestinians hiding inside the Church of the Nativity, the reputed site of Christ's birth in Manger Square.

Palestinian gunmen have exchanged fire with Israeli soldiers around the holy site, but many of those trapped inside are thought to be priests, civilians and at least ten wounded men.

Last night, seven Britons, including the writer Jeremy Hardy, were plucked to safety from Bethlehem which they had been pleading to leave for 24 hours.

Claire Theret, who teaches at St Cuthbert's RC High School in Newcastle, travelled to the Middle East this week with international aid workers. She became trapped along with 4,000 refugees inside the camp which has been surrounded by Israeli tanks.

Speaking to The Northern Echo last night from the camp, she said: "I do not want to leave because, once the internationals get out, the people here will be massacred.

"They have snipers on the roof of the Intercontinental Hotel and anyone stepping into the street will be shot - women or children, it doesn't matter. One woman was shot through her front door when she was carrying food into her dining room.

"Another pregnant woman gave birth at a road block, but the baby died. As she got up and went back to her car, it was run over by an Israeli tank and she was nearly killed."

Ms Theret and her husband, Ieuan Einion, 45, have three grown-up children from previous marriages.

Speaking from the family home in Wallsend, her husband said: "I am desperately worried about her. The best I can do for her is not to panic."

Israeli forces pushed into a series of West Bank towns and cities earlier this week to crush Palestinian militia blamed for the recent string of suicide bombings.