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| Woman shot in Tunisia attack tells inquest she played dead on beach | Woman shot in Tunisia attack tells inquest she played dead on beach |
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| The widow of a British man killed in a terrorist attack on a beach in Tunisia has told an inquest she played dead lying between two sunloungers after she had been shot in the stomach. | |
| Allison Heathcote, who was 48 at the time, was staying at the Imperial Marhaba hotel in Sousse with her husband, Philip Heathcote, on a holiday to celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary. | |
| The couple, from Felixstowe, were sunbathing on the beach outside the hotel on the morning of 26 June 2015 – three days before their anniversary – when Seifeddine Rezgui, a 23-year-old extremist, opened fire, killing 38 holidaymakers, among them 30 Britons, including Philip Heathcote. | The couple, from Felixstowe, were sunbathing on the beach outside the hotel on the morning of 26 June 2015 – three days before their anniversary – when Seifeddine Rezgui, a 23-year-old extremist, opened fire, killing 38 holidaymakers, among them 30 Britons, including Philip Heathcote. |
| In a statement to the London inquests into the British deaths, Allison Heathcote, who was later put into an induced coma for a month, described the moment she was shot. | In a statement to the London inquests into the British deaths, Allison Heathcote, who was later put into an induced coma for a month, described the moment she was shot. |
| “I became aware of being shot in my upper right arm,” she said. “It was a stinging pain. I was conscious that I had been shot elsewhere on my body but strangely I did not remember bleeding from my injuries and I was not actually aware I had been shot in my abdomen.” | “I became aware of being shot in my upper right arm,” she said. “It was a stinging pain. I was conscious that I had been shot elsewhere on my body but strangely I did not remember bleeding from my injuries and I was not actually aware I had been shot in my abdomen.” |
| She said fellow holidaymakers were screaming and running away from the scene as she shouted for help. | She said fellow holidaymakers were screaming and running away from the scene as she shouted for help. |
| She then heard the sounds of gunshots getting louder as she realised the gunman was returning to the beach. | She then heard the sounds of gunshots getting louder as she realised the gunman was returning to the beach. |
| “I was fearing for my life,” she said. “I lay still on the sand trying not to move in an effort to not draw attention to the fact I was still alive. I realised my best chance of survival was to play dead.” | “I was fearing for my life,” she said. “I lay still on the sand trying not to move in an effort to not draw attention to the fact I was still alive. I realised my best chance of survival was to play dead.” |
| Heathcote said she was not aware at this stage if her husband had been shot. “At the first opportunity I was asking Phil if he was alright. There was no response from Phil and I realised he had not made it.” | Heathcote said she was not aware at this stage if her husband had been shot. “At the first opportunity I was asking Phil if he was alright. There was no response from Phil and I realised he had not made it.” |
| The inquests are hearing individual details of each of the 30 deaths including “pen portraits” of those who died. | The inquests are hearing individual details of each of the 30 deaths including “pen portraits” of those who died. |
| Heathcote, who was 53 when he died, was described as a man who “called a spade a spade” by his widow, with whom he had one son, James, who is now 27 years old. | Heathcote, who was 53 when he died, was described as a man who “called a spade a spade” by his widow, with whom he had one son, James, who is now 27 years old. |
| He worked for Goldstar transport as a traffic operator, was an avid Manchester United FC fan and a youth cricket coach. | He worked for Goldstar transport as a traffic operator, was an avid Manchester United FC fan and a youth cricket coach. |
| Last week, the inquest heard evidence from the Foreign Office (FCO) and Tui, the travel firm with which all 30 British victims had booked their holiday. | Last week, the inquest heard evidence from the Foreign Office (FCO) and Tui, the travel firm with which all 30 British victims had booked their holiday. |
| The inquest heard claims that Tui travel agents had reassured some of the survivors that Tunisia was 100% safe when they booked their trip to Sousse, despite travel advice warning of a threat from terrorism. | The inquest heard claims that Tui travel agents had reassured some of the survivors that Tunisia was 100% safe when they booked their trip to Sousse, despite travel advice warning of a threat from terrorism. |
| It also heard that tour operators working for the firm told embassy officials they did not want “an army of police” on the streets of Tunisia because it would scare tourists, although they did accept some increase in security was required. | It also heard that tour operators working for the firm told embassy officials they did not want “an army of police” on the streets of Tunisia because it would scare tourists, although they did accept some increase in security was required. |
| Lawyers representing families of 20 of the deceased Britons are to accuse Tui of “practically hiding and keeping out of the limelight” FCO warnings about terrorism in Tunisia, according to papers submitted in advance of the resumption of the inquests. Last week, the inquest was shown how Tui customers were able to access the FCO advice via links on booking pages on the firm’s website. | Lawyers representing families of 20 of the deceased Britons are to accuse Tui of “practically hiding and keeping out of the limelight” FCO warnings about terrorism in Tunisia, according to papers submitted in advance of the resumption of the inquests. Last week, the inquest was shown how Tui customers were able to access the FCO advice via links on booking pages on the firm’s website. |
| Tui representatives giving evidence to the inquest said they did not carry out regular security risk assessments and did not agree security audits were necessary as they were told the advice would not be changing. | Tui representatives giving evidence to the inquest said they did not carry out regular security risk assessments and did not agree security audits were necessary as they were told the advice would not be changing. |
| The hearings are set to continue until the end of February. | The hearings are set to continue until the end of February. |