The Sri Lankan High Commissioner to the UK, Manisha Gunasekera, said eight British nationals were killed in the attacks.

"As of now I think there is information on eight nationals who have lost their lives and the other numbers are of other nationals," she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

Ms Gunasekera said the investigations were moving "very swiftly" but warned against taking a "linear view" on the motive of the attacks.

She said: "This cuts across the ethnic and religious dimensions... it's very difficult to see who has been targeted. It appears as if the entirety of Sri Lanka has been targeted as well as the unity and coexistence that Sri Lankans have attempted so hard to safeguard over the years."

Nearly 300 people have died following a series of bombings in the country. 

Six nearly simultaneous explosions at three churches and three hotels took place at Colombo, Negombo and Batticaloa on Easter Sunday.

READ MORE: Sri Lanka attacks: Three children of Scotland's biggest landowner Anders Povlsen killed 

Sri Lankan officials have described it as a terrorist attack by religious extremists. Most of the eight blasts are suspected suicide attacks.

Police will examine reports that the intelligence community failed to detect or warn of possible suicide attacks as part of their investigation.

There are also US, Turkish, Indian, Portuguese, Dutch and Chinese victims among the 27 foreign nationals killed.

More than 500 people have been injured. 

Three children of Scotland's biggest landowner have been killed by suicide bombers in Sri Lanka.