A group of students who became trapped in the Middle East violence have been accused of putting their lives and those of others at risk.

Hove MP Ivor Caplin said the decision by nine students to make the trip to the war-torn West Bank was foolish.

The trip was made by Sussex University Students' Union's Palestine Solidarity Society, which aims to establish links between Palestine and Britain.

The students planned to join 200 other Europeans at events organised by Grassroots International Protection for Palestine, based in Ramallah.

During their 11-day visit, which began on March 27, the students planned to visit clinics, refugee camps and observe checkpoints.

However, they became trapped in the West Bank as violence escalated.

Four of the group escaped to the safety of East Jerusalem in the back of an ambulance on Tuesday night, while five others chose to remain in the West Bank.

Mr Caplin said the Foreign Office had given clear advice that people should not visit the region.

He said: "This visit by students was a foolish trip and should never have been undertaken. There is absolutely clear advice available from the Foreign Office."

Mr Caplin has visited the region himself twice and has met leaders from both sides of the conflict, including Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, Israeli former leader Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak.

Mr Caplin said: "We cannot put lives at risk in the consular department because of this foolhardy trip. I hope they get out safely and we can assure them our diplomatic services are doing all they can to help.

"But if people travel to areas where there is clear advice not to, they are putting their lives at risk."

Mr Caplin said their trip would not achieve anything for the people in the region and if the students had wanted to help create peace between the two sides, there were organisations based in Britain which they could volunteer for.

He said: "Their trip has no impact on trying to further peace."

The Foreign Office web site warns those planning to visit the Palestinian authority: "We advise against travel to the West Bank and Gaza."

Dr Ghada Karmi, whose daughter Salma was among the group but who managed to escape the West Bank, was angered by Mr Caplin's comments.

She said: "They did not go out there with the idea of going on holiday.

"They knew the Palestinians were in a terrible situation and they thought it was their duty as young people to say to them, 'You are not alone'."

Dr Karmi, a GP from Golders Green, north-west London, added: "I was terribly worried, dreadfully, dreadfully worried about her but also very proud.

"The reality is, they're doing more than the British Government."