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A former ship's captain held hostage by Somali pirates got a red-faced welcome from fancy dress pirates at a Devon Women's Institute (WI).

The Parkham WI thought Colin Darch was going to be speaking to them about piracy, not realising he was held hostage for 47 days in 2008.

"They were more embarrassed than me," said Mr Darch, 75.

WI treasurer Steph George, 54, said: "He was such a good sport, but we won't be dressing up again for a while."

The WI group has dressed up to match guest speakers' themes in the past.

So when Mrs George heard that Mr Darch was going to talk about piracy, she and the 14 other members of the group decided they knew what to wear.

"I unfortunately thought it would be a good idea to dress up as pirates," said Mrs George.

"Mr Darch came in and said he had been held hostage by Somali pirates.

"It was embarrassing, but he was such a great chap and he wasn't offended."

Mr Darch, from Appledore, said: "They were a bit nonplussed, but it didn't bother me. They had all made an effort.

"Most of them seemed to be wearing false moustaches and funny hats, it looked like a rehearsal for Pirates of Penzance.

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Gunmen have shot dead the prosecutor investigating the murder of Pakistan's ex-leader Benazir Bhutto who was assassinated in 2007.

Police said Chaudhry Zulfiqar Ali was ambushed as he was driving from his Islamabad home to a court hearing in the Bhutto case in Rawalpindi.

Police have not speculated on a reason for the shooting.

Chaudhry Zulfiqar was also the top prosecutor in a case related to the attacks in Mumbai, India, in 2008.

Former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf has been accused of failing to provide adequate security for Bhutto at the time of her death.

Mr Musharraf, who recently returned to Pakistan after living abroad, is being held under house arrest while the claims against him are investigated. He denies the allegations.

No-one has ever been convicted over the murder of Ms Bhutto.

Police said Chaudhry Zulfiqar was on his way to the anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi for a hearing on Friday morning when his car was ambushed.

The attackers on a motorcycle sprayed the car with bullets, badly injuring the prosecutor who later died in hospital.

A hospital spokesman said Chaudhry Zulfiqar had been hit by more than seven bullets from the front and side, including one to the head.

A woman pedestrian also died after being hit by Chaudhry Zulfiqar's car after the driver lost control of it, officials said.

Police Supt Jameel Hashmi said one of the prosecutor's bodyguards, who was injured in the incident, had showed "great valour".

"We have got evidence from several witnesses but we cannot disclose anything at this stage," he added.

The attackers fled the scene.

Pakistan's Dawn newspaper reported that lawyers in Islamabad and Rawalpindi have announced a strike over the killing.

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