A BRITISH couple were seriously injured in a bomb explosion that hit the holiday paradise of the Maldives yesterday.

It was the first terrorist attack on the Indian Ocean archipelago and there was speculation last night that its aim was to damage the tourism industry.

The blast in the capital, Male, injured at least 12 people. The Britons, Christian Donelan and his wife Jennifer, were the worst hurt. Jennifer suffered 40% first and second degree burns and her husband 27%.

Christian, 32, from Rotherham, South Yorkshire, told a friend in a phone call: "It could have been much worse. Thank God we are still alive."

Christian, who represented England four times at squash, was a security consultant the the Sydney Olympics and Turin Winter Olympics and the couple currently live in Qatar from where he is helping organise the security for the Asian Games. Jennifer also works as a sports events organiser in the GUlf state.

Tim Bulleyment, who spoke to Christian last night, said: "He was in a lot of pain, he had just come out of surgery and he sounded half dead. But Jennifer came off worse. They're discussing about whether to fly them over to Singapore for skin grafts."

The explosion happened just after 2.30pm local time. A device, believed to be homemade and packed with nails, went off near a mosque at the entrance to Sultan Park, a stop-off for tour groups in the capital. The Britons couple were said to have been within feet of the bomb when it exploded.

“The Maldives has never had something like this before. We are taking this very seriously because tourism is our life blood," said Mohammad Shareef, a spokesman for the Maldives government, adding that the injured also included two Japanese and eight Chinese.

It was reported last night that two people had been arrested.

The Maldives have a predominantly Muslim population and the economy relies on its appeal to western tourists, particularly as a destination for honeymooners. More than 100,000 Britons visit the islands every year.

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