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William Hague has issued a stark warning to British nationals in Yemen that they should leave the country as soon as they can.

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The Foreign Secretary told the Commons there were still some UK citizens who had not left the country despite an initial warning on March 12.

He warned transport could be affected if the security situation worsens further and they could be stranded.

A planned day of marches are due in Sanaa on Friday, prompting fears of fresh violence after more than 50 deaths last week.

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The Yemeni government has declared a state of emergency and Britain has already withdrawn its embassy team from Sanaa, leaving just a small core.

Mr Hague said: 'Commercial flights to and from Yemen are still operating although could clearly change.

'Should there be further violence in Yemen, normal means of leaving particularly through the commercial airport in Sanaa could be blocked and the ability to travel around Yemen will be severely restricted.'

He added: 'I want to make absolutely clear that all British nationals remaining in Yemen should leave without delay.'

The UK Foreign Office said the temporary withdrawal of staff was imposed because Friday's expected demonstrations in the capital Sanaa may become violent.

A statement said a small core staff would remain in place.

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It came as Yemen's president Ali Abdullah Saleh offered to step down by the end of the year in a bid to appease opposition groups.

His overtures did little to quell protesters' efforts to force him out after 32 years in power.

Concerns are growing among Western governments that the Arab state could descend into chaos.

Yemen is perceived as having become a haven for al Qaeda - with its longstanding president seen as a key ally against the terrorist group.

US defence secretary Robert Gates insisted it was too soon to determine the outcome of the political turmoil, and Washington had not planned for a post-Saleh era.

'I think things are obviously, or evidently, very unsettled in Yemen. I think it's too soon to call an outcome,' he said.

'We've had a good working relationship with President Saleh. He's been an important ally in the counter-terrorism arena.

'But clearly there's a lot of unhappiness inside Yemen. And I think we will basically just continue to watch the situation. We haven't done any post-Saleh planning.'

Saleh's opponents have been inspired by the fall of dictators in Tunisia and Egypt.

The killing of more than 50 demonstrators last week accelerated a wave of defections from the regime by the elite - as well as many members of the military.

State news agency Saba said three people were arrested over the deadly shootings and handed over to prosecutors.

Since initially saying he would not seek a new term in 2013, Mr Saleh has made greater concessions by offering constitutional change and elections to replace parliament and the head of state this year.

'At this historic moment Yemen needs wisdom to avoid slipping into violence ... that would destroy gains and leave the country facing a dangerous fate,' Saleh said in a letter passed to opposition groups in a bid to reconcile differences.

Those groups, which had earlier called for massive rallies in the capital Sanaa on Friday to force Saleh from power, said they were studying the offer.

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