THE brother of a Blackburn man living in Riyadh has spoken of his shock at hearing of the bombings in the Saudi capital.

Rasheed Riaz, a former lecturer at Blackburn College, moved to Riyadh in September 2001. He was joined last year by his wife and three young children.

Today Rasheed's brother, Hafeez Ahmed, 37, said he had been shocked by the news but was confident his brother would remain safe.

The Blackburn taxi driver said: "I didn't know about it until the next day. My niece rang my wife at home and said what was happening and that her uncle Rasheed was okay.

"When my wife told me I was shocked and switched the TV on and there it was."

Around 200 people were injured in the bombings late on Monday night, but Rasheed yesterday told the Lancashire Evening Telegraph that he would remain in the Saudi capital unless the British Consul advised otherwise.

Hafeez, who lives with his wife Fozia, 36, and their three children in Irene Place, Blackburn, said: "The compound that was bombed was only two miles from my brother's so he was very lucky.

"We have kept in touch every day although it has been difficult at some point to get through on the phone.

"A lot of people don't handle it well out there as it is not something everyone can hack.

"But it is very nice and he likes it, especially now his family is there with him.

"If the situation does get really bad they will be flown straight home as the British Embassy has planes on stand-by."

Rasheed, who is employed as a maths and physics teacher by Saudi Development and Training, still has a home in Lynwood Road, Blackburn, and visits his family each year.

He said: "My mother and two brothers live in Blackburn and I have spoken to them about what has happened.

"The Al Hamra compound, which was hit, is two miles from where we live.

"A lot of people have friends there and we use a jeweller there, but when we spoke to him he said there was no point in going.

"Each compound has a perimeter wall all the way around and one entrance with two sets of security.

"The terrorists were in cars at the front of the entrance and they shot the guards. They then rammed the gate and anybody they saw got fired at. For people with children the situation is worrying, but I think the worst is over now."