The Foreign Office has confirmed there were 10 British-born victims on flight MH-17.

Lifelong Newcastle United fan John Alder, aged in his 60s, was travelling to the football club's pre-season tour of New Zealand. Mr Alder, from Gateshead, had barely missed a match in 50 years and was wore a black suit and white shirt to matches - earning him the nickname the Undertaker.

Fellow Magpies fan Liam Sweeney, 28, a supermarket worker who had spent £2500 on the trip, was previously a volunteer steward on United supporters' buses. Tributes were left to both fans at Sir Bobby Robson's statue at the club ground. Mr Sweeney's father Barry, 52, said he had "never seen him more excited about this trip".

Former BBC journalist Glenn Thomas, 49, a Geneva-based media officer with the World Health Organisation (Who), died along with more than 100 Aids experts who were heading to an international conference on the disease in Melbourne. Blackpool-born, he leaves behind a partner. A Who spokeswoman said they had "lost a wonderful person and a great professional. Our hearts are broken".

Leeds University maths and finance undergraduate Richard Mayne, 20 was a Leicester-born rugby player who booked the flight because, being diabetic, he needed a stop-over before heading onto Perth.

He had travelled to Mount Everest for charity and raised £1000 to help disadvantaged children in Nepal.

Loughborough University business undergraduate Ben Pocock, was in his early 20s.

Bristol-born Mr Pocock was due to start a placement and to study abroad at the University of Western Australia in Perth. His family said he was a gifted, academic and talented athlete who had a "bright future ahead of him".