A Hampshire family's £600,000 civil action, launched after they suffered serious injuries in a South African restaurant bomb blast, has been unexpectedly adjourned for six months.

Tony Giddings, 43, his wife Mandy, 40, their children Laura, 13, and Jacob, 8, and grandparents Brian, 70, and Iris, 68, of Bramshaw, in the New Forest, are suing the insurers of Cape Town's Planet Hollywood restaurant.

They were injured when a powerful metal pipe bomb, placed on a foot rail in the restaurant bar, detonated on August 25, 1998.

Laura lost part of her leg, Jacob still has shrapnel in the fluid around his spine, and Brian was injured by shrapnel and an artery in his leg was severed. Tony Giddings, who runs the Giddings sawmill at Netley Marsh, has to use a cane to walk.

They returned to South Africa last week for the case, in which they are claiming from insurers Santam financial compensation for past and future medical expenses, general damages for pain and suffering, discomfort, temporary and permanent loss of amenities, disability and disfigurement.

Tony Giddings was to have continued his evidence today in the Cape High Court before Judge Hennie Nel but the judge was requested in chambers to postpone the case to November 24. No reasons for the unexpected development were divulged.