One Briton dead and another injured after being 'gunned down at St Lucia bar'

Two Britons were shot by masked gunmen in St Lucia, leaving one dead and another injured.

According to reports, the men were on the balcony of a popular bar in Soufriere on the island when gunmen opened fire at them.

Donnie McKinnon, originally from Scotland, was killed, and his friend Peter Jackson, from Accrington in Lancashire, was injured.

According to the Daily Record, McKinnon is believed to have moved to St Lucia 13 years ago and managed the 2,000 acre Soufriere Estate.

Jackson, a photographer, had reportedly been living on the island for more than 30 years and was previously involved with the Soufriere Regional Development Foundation.

One person told the St Lucia Times: "Everyone knew them. They were community people. This is sad."

Another shared a Facebook post Jackson had written in September commenting on the problem of violent crime on the island.

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He wrote: "State of our nation, St.Lucia" and went on to describe how on his way home as he stopped for something to eat at Soufriere Beach Park he had seen a young man drop a switchblade on the ground.

He went on: "I asked why he needed it, he replied " protection". I continued by asking him, if his girlfriend knew that he carried a weapon. His reply, " she has one!"

"So, I said " it's no wonder that we have 50 homicides already, in St. Lucia. His reply, "Do you want to be the 51st.?"

Sharing the post in the aftermath of the shooting on Saturday, Jackson's friend wrote: "Get Well Soon Pete!

"This is one of Peter Jackson's recent post about crime in St. Lucia. Isn't it sick irony that today he is a victim of violent crime in Soufriere, our Mecca of Tourism? Thank God he didn't become number 68. It's very sad that Donnie is the 67th victim. My deepest condolences to his wife and family."

Police in St Lucia have reportedly said an investigation is underway and the UK Foreign Office said it is seeking more information from the government in St Lucia about an incident that happened on Saturday.