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Survivors recall Tunisia terror attacks 10 years on | Survivors recall Tunisia terror attacks 10 years on |
(about 1 hour later) | |
On 25 June 2015, a gunman shot dead 38 people, including 30 Britons, in a Tunisian holiday resort. | On 25 June 2015, a gunman shot dead 38 people, including 30 Britons, in a Tunisian holiday resort. |
Seifeddine Rezgui, a Tunisian student, opened fire on tourists staying in Port El Kantaoui, just north of Sousse, in an attack for which the jihadist group Islamic State claimed responsibility. | Seifeddine Rezgui, a Tunisian student, opened fire on tourists staying in Port El Kantaoui, just north of Sousse, in an attack for which the jihadist group Islamic State claimed responsibility. |
Rezgui was shot dead by police shortly afterwards but his actions shocked the world and changed lives for ever. | Rezgui was shot dead by police shortly afterwards but his actions shocked the world and changed lives for ever. |
Ten years on, survivors of the massacre have been recalling their horrific experiences and reflecting on how it changed their lives. | Ten years on, survivors of the massacre have been recalling their horrific experiences and reflecting on how it changed their lives. |
'I actually say I was saved for two reasons' | 'I actually say I was saved for two reasons' |
Christine Cullen says the gunman pointed his weapon at her and fired | Christine Cullen says the gunman pointed his weapon at her and fired |
Holidaymakers Christine and Stuart Cullen, from Lowestoft, Suffolk, were caught up in the attack. | Holidaymakers Christine and Stuart Cullen, from Lowestoft, Suffolk, were caught up in the attack. |
Mrs Cullen remembers it clearly. | Mrs Cullen remembers it clearly. |
"He [Rezgui] threw a bomb with nails and things and then I looked up and I saw Stuart and, unfortunately, a piece of metal from the bomb had severed his artery. He bled out in my hands." | "He [Rezgui] threw a bomb with nails and things and then I looked up and I saw Stuart and, unfortunately, a piece of metal from the bomb had severed his artery. He bled out in my hands." |
Mr Cullen was killed. Already hit by shrapnel, Mrs Cullen thought she was going to be next. | Mr Cullen was killed. Already hit by shrapnel, Mrs Cullen thought she was going to be next. |
Mrs Cullen survived the attack, but her husband Stuart was killed | Mrs Cullen survived the attack, but her husband Stuart was killed |
"He [Rezgui] came up to me, probably only a few feet away, pointed and shot. so I threw myself back and thought this was it. | "He [Rezgui] came up to me, probably only a few feet away, pointed and shot. so I threw myself back and thought this was it. |
"Then I suddenly realised that actually I hadn't been hit... then I played dead and watched him go off. | "Then I suddenly realised that actually I hadn't been hit... then I played dead and watched him go off. |
"I shouldn't be here - I don't know how I'm here, but I shouldn't be here. At the inquest, there were two statements that say they saw him shoot me. | "I shouldn't be here - I don't know how I'm here, but I shouldn't be here. At the inquest, there were two statements that say they saw him shoot me. |
"I actually say I was saved for two reasons: to plan my daughter's wedding and look after my grandchildren." | "I actually say I was saved for two reasons: to plan my daughter's wedding and look after my grandchildren." |
She says the attack has given her a new outlook on life. | She says the attack has given her a new outlook on life. |
"If anything, I live in the moment more now. I am more appreciative of things now, and if there's an opportunity to go and do something I haven't done before, why not? You feel a bit invincible, really." | "If anything, I live in the moment more now. I am more appreciative of things now, and if there's an opportunity to go and do something I haven't done before, why not? You feel a bit invincible, really." |
'When I got the call, I just knew I'd lost one of them' | 'When I got the call, I just knew I'd lost one of them' |
Emma-Jayne Herbert remembers the moment she learned her dad had been killed in the attack | Emma-Jayne Herbert remembers the moment she learned her dad had been killed in the attack |
Mrs and Mrs Cullen's daughter, Emma-Jayne Herbert, was at home in Lowestoft at the time of the attack. | Mrs and Mrs Cullen's daughter, Emma-Jayne Herbert, was at home in Lowestoft at the time of the attack. |
"When I got the call - it was off a family member - I just knew I'd lost one of them, and I had a feeling it was Dad," she says. | "When I got the call - it was off a family member - I just knew I'd lost one of them, and I had a feeling it was Dad," she says. |
A decade on, she is now expecting her first child - and her parents' first grandchild - two years after her mum gave her away at her wedding. | A decade on, she is now expecting her first child - and her parents' first grandchild - two years after her mum gave her away at her wedding. |
And although her dad was not physically there, she says she felt his presence. | And although her dad was not physically there, she says she felt his presence. |
"There was this rain that came over that almost felt like maybe his tears, and then it just washed away after 10 minutes. | "There was this rain that came over that almost felt like maybe his tears, and then it just washed away after 10 minutes. |
"The wedding started a little bit late and the sunshine just beamed out as I was coming down the aisle, and it just felt like 'Yeah, that's my dad.'" | "The wedding started a little bit late and the sunshine just beamed out as I was coming down the aisle, and it just felt like 'Yeah, that's my dad.'" |
They are holding a family festival in her dad's memory at The Plough, Blundeston, on Saturday in aid of Nelson's Journey, a charity that supports bereaved children. | They are holding a family festival in her dad's memory at The Plough, Blundeston, on Saturday in aid of Nelson's Journey, a charity that supports bereaved children. |
"He'd be very proud that we're not just sitting in a hole in darkness, that we are coming together with others in our family and... remembering the good and being positive. He would definitely be very happy and proud with that." | "He'd be very proud that we're not just sitting in a hole in darkness, that we are coming together with others in our family and... remembering the good and being positive. He would definitely be very happy and proud with that." |
'The worst day of my life and a living nightmare' | 'The worst day of my life and a living nightmare' |
Allison Heathcote was shot five times by the gunman | Allison Heathcote was shot five times by the gunman |
Allison and Phil Heathcote, from Felixstowe, Suffolk, had been in Tunisia, celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary. | Allison and Phil Heathcote, from Felixstowe, Suffolk, had been in Tunisia, celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary. |
Mrs Heathcote describes the day of the attacks as "the worst day of my life, and a living nightmare". | Mrs Heathcote describes the day of the attacks as "the worst day of my life, and a living nightmare". |
She says: "I would say, probably within about five minutes of it starting, we'd both been shot. | She says: "I would say, probably within about five minutes of it starting, we'd both been shot. |
"I tried to see if Phil was alive but he wasn't responding and there were just people all around you, dead." | "I tried to see if Phil was alive but he wasn't responding and there were just people all around you, dead." |
Mrs Heathcote survived the attack, but her husband Phil did not | Mrs Heathcote survived the attack, but her husband Phil did not |
With the gunman on the rampage, she laid still in the sand, despite having been shot five times. | With the gunman on the rampage, she laid still in the sand, despite having been shot five times. |
"Most of my injuries were in my right arm; also my stomach. I've got another one just underneath the breast there and I've also still got another bullet still in me." | "Most of my injuries were in my right arm; also my stomach. I've got another one just underneath the breast there and I've also still got another bullet still in me." |
Mr Heathcote, a cricket lover, was killed in the attack and a memorial match in his honour is being held at Felixstowe and Corinthians Cricket Club on 10 August. | Mr Heathcote, a cricket lover, was killed in the attack and a memorial match in his honour is being held at Felixstowe and Corinthians Cricket Club on 10 August. |
It will raise money for Fisher House, which provided accommodation for Mrs Heathcote's family while she was in hospital in Birmingham after the attack. | It will raise money for Fisher House, which provided accommodation for Mrs Heathcote's family while she was in hospital in Birmingham after the attack. |
Despite her horrific experiences, she considers herself lucky. | Despite her horrific experiences, she considers herself lucky. |
"I've still got my son, and he means the world to me, and I've still got the rest of my family," she says. | "I've still got my son, and he means the world to me, and I've still got the rest of my family," she says. |
"I didn't want to die. I'm glad I'm still here, but I wish [my husband] was here, too." | |
'You really did think that was your last day' | 'You really did think that was your last day' |
Nicki and Andy Duffield took refuge in a gardener's shed as the killings unfolded | Nicki and Andy Duffield took refuge in a gardener's shed as the killings unfolded |
Andy and Nicki Duffield, from Watton, Norfolk, were in Tunisia to celebrate Mr Duffield's birthday. | Andy and Nicki Duffield, from Watton, Norfolk, were in Tunisia to celebrate Mr Duffield's birthday. |
They took refuge in a gardener's shed while the attacks took place. | They took refuge in a gardener's shed while the attacks took place. |
"I hid behind a door with an aerosol spray and a pair of garden shears," he recalls. | "I hid behind a door with an aerosol spray and a pair of garden shears," he recalls. |
"I thought, 'If someone's coming through that door, at least I'm going to go with a fight.' You know, we survived it but a lot of people didn't. | "I thought, 'If someone's coming through that door, at least I'm going to go with a fight.' You know, we survived it but a lot of people didn't. |
"Yeah, we were lucky. A lot of nice people lost their lives there that day." | "Yeah, we were lucky. A lot of nice people lost their lives there that day." |
Mrs Duffield remembers running and hiding for her life. | Mrs Duffield remembers running and hiding for her life. |
"The terror, the fear - you really did think that was your last day," she says. | "The terror, the fear - you really did think that was your last day," she says. |
She credits her husband with saving her life by encouraging her to keep running and by asking the gardeners to hide them in their shed. | She credits her husband with saving her life by encouraging her to keep running and by asking the gardeners to hide them in their shed. |
"We knew that the gunfire was getting closer and closer. Andy was shouting at me to keep running, and at one point I told him to just go and to leave me and he wouldn't." | "We knew that the gunfire was getting closer and closer. Andy was shouting at me to keep running, and at one point I told him to just go and to leave me and he wouldn't." |
The couple are defiant and say they will not let their experiences stop them from continuing to holiday abroad. | The couple are defiant and say they will not let their experiences stop them from continuing to holiday abroad. |
"If it wasn't for my husband, I wouldn't be here. It's changed my life completely," says Mrs Duffield. | "If it wasn't for my husband, I wouldn't be here. It's changed my life completely," says Mrs Duffield. |
Follow East of England news on X, Instagram and Facebook: BBC Beds, Herts & Bucks, BBC Cambridgeshire, BBC Essex, BBC Norfolk, BBC Northamptonshire or BBC Suffolk. | Follow East of England news on X, Instagram and Facebook: BBC Beds, Herts & Bucks, BBC Cambridgeshire, BBC Essex, BBC Norfolk, BBC Northamptonshire or BBC Suffolk. |