AN armed guard is providing 24-hour protection for the family of a husband, wife and daughter shot dead in Pakistan amid fears of further attacks.

Terrified relatives of Mohammed Yousaf, 51, wife Perviaz, 49, and Tania, 22, of Howgill Close, Nelson, fear further violence.

Around 70 members of their extended family are in Pakistan following the funerals on Friday.

Councillor Eileen Ansar, who is married to Mr Yousaf’s cousin Mohammed, said: "The boys are saying they are still being threatened in Pakistan. It is very, very scary."

North West MEP Sajjad Karim, who is a friend of the family, said he had been in frequent contact with the police authorities in Pakistan.

He said: “I feared that there would be further security concerns for family members out in Pakistan, and I have arranged for proper security provisions for them.

“They now have an armed police escort at all times, because nobody knows what will happen next.”

The shooting is said to have been sparked by a failed arranged marriage of one of Mr and Mrs Yousaf's sons.

Nursat Bibi, a Pakistani relative of the Yousaf family, was also gunned down as the group prayed at a graveside on Thursday.

Two of the alleged gunmen have been arrested. They are from Hasib Yousaf's wife's family. If charged and convicted they face the death penalty.

Police are hunting the other two gunmen who opened fire with automatic weapons.

Mr Karim, who has been getting updates from Pakistani police, said: “At the moment, the police are still actively pursing the attackers. They are also working with Lancashire Constabulary which has opened up the lines of communication over information on the family members.”

The incident happened at 1pm, Pakistani time, (9am GMT), at a graveyard in Mararyian village in Rehmania, Gujarat, Pakistan. The Yousaf family had been in the region for the unconnected wedding of another of their three sons.