A British man was killed by terrorists who had laid siege to his hotel in Africa after he turned down an offer of evacuation so women and children could go first, an inquest has heard.

Philip Mawer, 58, was working in the coastal town of Palma, Mozambique, when the ISIS-linked Al-Shabaab group attacked his hotel.

The contractor, originally from Somerset, was offered a helicopter evacuation the day after but turned it down, 'insisting women and children went first'.

Mr Mawer again declined a spot in an armoured B6 truck the following day when a convoy was organised to evacuate more of those trapped in the Amarula Hotel, opting to drive himself in another vehicle.

Shortly afterwards he suffered what was described as 'instant unconsciousness and death' when a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) hit his vehicle.

Giving evidence at Winchester Coroner's Court, Lars Narfeldt, chief operating officer at RA International, for whom Mr Mawer worked at the time, said: 'He declined to go on the first helicopter trip, insisting women and children went first.

'He was exhausted from continuous stress, anxiety and fatigue from the siege at Amarula Hotel. There were more people than they had food for.

'Intermittent electricity, constant shootings, you're in a confined space with so many people and many of them civilians, not contractors, and the excitement they brought with them not being used to this would have stoked fear as well.

'He let others go on the B6 and drove a vehicle himself.' 

The inquests heard that prior to the attack on March 24, 2021, the terrorist threat was considered low enough for Mr Mawer to continue his work preparing 'for the largest gas operation in Africa'.

He was the 'country manager' for RA International, which had landed a contract to construct accommodation for workers for a new gas field in Mozambique.

Mr Mawer had worked in several African nations, but had conducted business in the East African for ten years.

He was staying at the Amarula with fellow project manager and friend Gordon Rhattigan.

Mr Rhattigan said they had both been at work on the RA International site when Mr Mawer had suggested going back to the hotel for lunch. But Mr Rhattigan declined, meaning Mr Mawer returned alone at around midday on what was otherwise a 'normal day'.

His colleague told the inquest: 'From the time I got there and well before, Phil had been reporting from RA that there had been weekly attacks on the outskirts of the village.

'There was an instance where they took a village and took all the people to a football field and beheaded them there.'

He added: 'It was in the backs of all our heads that something could happen but we believed that 700 staff from the Mozambique military was more than adequate to deal with whatever did happen.'

On the first day of the siege, RA International advised Mr Mawer to stay at the hotel where they could communicate with him.

The following day, March 25, Dyck Advisory Group, a South African private military organisation, oversaw the evacuation of 23 people from the hotel which Mr Mawer had turned down.

Mr Narfeldt said of his colleague: 'I knew Philip Mawer personally. He had a strong character. He was a big burly man. Very friendly, well liked and very good at what he did.'

Mr Rhattigan added: 'Philip was very kind, very funny, and very down to earth. He was honest. I really enjoyed working with him and I had been looking forward to working with him for a while.

'He was very well liked and respected by Palma and all the companies there. It's not the easiest place to work in or get supplies.

'He got that it was a community of different companies. He was a really good guy.'

The five-day inquest continues.