Thousands of British tourists in troubled Kenya are being advised to stay indoors as the death toll passes 200.

In the latest atrocity, least 50 people died when a mob torched a church in the town of Eldoret.

The Foreign Office is advising against all but essential travel to areas of the East African country's two biggest cities.

Britons are being warned to avoid the centre of the capital Nairobi and the town's Uhuru Park area as well as parts of Mombasa, the gateway to many resorts on the Indian Ocean.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has urged Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga to work for "unity and reconciliation".

Foreign Secretary David Miliband and International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander called for Kenyan politicians to "urge restraint on their followers".

About 7,000 Britons are thought to be on holiday in Kenya.

Violence has worsened since the announcement of President Kibaki's narrow win over Mr Odinga.

EU election monitors say the poll was "flawed" and are calling for an independent audit.

A Foreign Office spokesman said:"We recommend that you stay indoors. If you need to travel you should exercise extreme caution and seek advice locally."

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