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Tunisia attack: Survivor says husband was a hero | Tunisia attack: Survivor says husband was a hero |
(35 minutes later) | |
A British woman who survived the mass shootings at a Tunisian beach resort said her "hero" husband sacrificed his life to protect her. | A British woman who survived the mass shootings at a Tunisian beach resort said her "hero" husband sacrificed his life to protect her. |
Stephen Mellor, 59, died when Islamist gunman Seifeddine Rezgui shot him and his wife, Cheryl, on the beach. | Stephen Mellor, 59, died when Islamist gunman Seifeddine Rezgui shot him and his wife, Cheryl, on the beach. |
Mrs Mellor told an inquest Rezgui "seemed to enjoy looking at us squirm" as he pulled the trigger. | Mrs Mellor told an inquest Rezgui "seemed to enjoy looking at us squirm" as he pulled the trigger. |
Rezgui killed 38 people - 30 of them Britons - at the five-star Riu Imperial Marhaba, near Sousse, in June 2015. | Rezgui killed 38 people - 30 of them Britons - at the five-star Riu Imperial Marhaba, near Sousse, in June 2015. |
In her statement, read out at London's Royal Courts of Justice, Mrs Mellor said: "I am only here today due to the bravery of my husband, Stephen. | In her statement, read out at London's Royal Courts of Justice, Mrs Mellor said: "I am only here today due to the bravery of my husband, Stephen. |
"We were being shot and he protected me. Stephen stayed and saved me. He sacrificed himself. Stephen is a hero to me." | "We were being shot and he protected me. Stephen stayed and saved me. He sacrificed himself. Stephen is a hero to me." |
Mr Mellor, a father of three from Bodmin, Cornwall, died after being shot in the chest and abdomen. | Mr Mellor, a father of three from Bodmin, Cornwall, died after being shot in the chest and abdomen. |
Mrs Mellor, who was shot in the leg and wrist, suffered life-changing injuries. | Mrs Mellor, who was shot in the leg and wrist, suffered life-changing injuries. |
"I believe the suspect was working to a plan. He was killing mainly British tourists," she told the inquest. | "I believe the suspect was working to a plan. He was killing mainly British tourists," she told the inquest. |
The couple, who were looking forward to retirement, had been relaxing on sun loungers when they heard a "huge bang sound" at about noon. | The couple, who were looking forward to retirement, had been relaxing on sun loungers when they heard a "huge bang sound" at about noon. |
Mrs Mellor said the initial blasts were "really close", and her husband said: "Oh my God, this is going, really going, down." | Mrs Mellor said the initial blasts were "really close", and her husband said: "Oh my God, this is going, really going, down." |
The couple could see the gunman standing at the edge of the sun loungers holding a weapon about 20 inches long, the inquest was told. | The couple could see the gunman standing at the edge of the sun loungers holding a weapon about 20 inches long, the inquest was told. |
Mr Mellor was on the ground telling his wife: "Oh my God, I love you." | Mr Mellor was on the ground telling his wife: "Oh my God, I love you." |
She said she could see a woman's feet nearby. | She said she could see a woman's feet nearby. |
"I heard a shot and saw her foot jump and assumed she was shot dead," Mrs Mellor said. | "I heard a shot and saw her foot jump and assumed she was shot dead," Mrs Mellor said. |
The couple then told each other "if one of us survive, we will tell the kids that we love them". | The couple then told each other "if one of us survive, we will tell the kids that we love them". |
Fellow holidaymaker Allen Pembroke, 61, gave Mrs Mellor some water as he helped those injured on the beach. | |
After he reluctantly told her Mr Mellor was dead he offered to carry her away, but she refused to leave her husband. | |
Mr Mellor did not live to see the birth of his third grandchild, a boy called Thomas Stephen, who was named after him. | Mr Mellor did not live to see the birth of his third grandchild, a boy called Thomas Stephen, who was named after him. |
Suzanne Davey, 43, a mother of three from Tamworth, Staffordshire, was also killed alongside her partner Scott Chalkley, 42, a lifelong Arsenal fan and former Royal Fusilier from Chaddesden, Derby. | |
The inquest continues on Thursday. |
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