‘Shambolic' policing & a gunman hellbent on massacre – how the Tunisia terror attack ‘changed lives forever'
The heartboken families of the victims of the Tunisian terror attack reflect on the life-changing horror ten years on
DAY OF HORROR 'Shambolic' policing & a gunman hellbent on massacre – how the Tunisia terror attack 'changed lives forever'
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DEVASTATED loved ones of a Scots couple slain ten years ago in the Tunisia terror attack revealed they are missed more than ever as the 'hurt' endures.
Charlie and Mary Flockhart told of their heartbreak at being robbed of spending their golden years with Jim and Ann McQuire — among 38 killed when a gunman ran amok with a Kalashnikov he had hidden in a beach umbrella.
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Charlie and Mary Flockhart told of their heartbreak at being robbed of spending their golden years with Jim and Ann McQuire
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Jim and Ann McQuire, aged 66 and 63, from Cumbernauld
Credit: PA
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Billy and Lisa Graham, from Bankfoot near Perth in Scotland
Credit: PA
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Islamic State monster Seifeddine Rezgui, 23, who carried out the slaughter with the help of accomplices
Credit: PA:Press Association
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He was later shot dead by balaclava-clad cops
The maniac slaughtered Mary's brother Jim, 66, and his wife Ann, 63, near a hotel swimming pool as they tried to flee the carnage.
Fellow Scots Billy and Lisa Graham were also murdered on June 26, 2015, while on a break at the Port El Kantaoui resort to celebrate their 31st wedding anniversary.
Islamic State monster Seifeddine Rezgui, 23, who carried out the slaughter with the help of accomplices, was later shot dead by balaclava-clad cops.
Charlie, 75, told how he and Jim first bonded as teens over their love of music and became brothers-in-law when he married Jim's sister.
Before the shattering events a decade ago the two couples, from Cumbernauld, had recently retired and had been looking forward to creating special memories together.
Charlie said: 'We would have gone on holidays together and had days away. Jim had retired the year before, Ann had just retired.
'Mary and I had decided, right, that was us, we were retiring.
'Jim had started playing golf and Ann was a beautiful singer.
'We were seeing each other more or less daily. We were all within walking distance of each other.
'Then that happened, suddenly it all stops, the whole thing changes.
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'Time gives you a bit more control but it still hurts.'
Charlie and Mary recalled growing alarmed after being unable to get in touch with Jim and Ann that day while enjoying their own holiday in the Borders.
They had quit work just two weeks earlier.
And the couple's worst fears were realised when news broke of the massacre in North Africa.
Charlie said: 'When it all happened, trying to get information was like trying to prise nails out of a piece of wood.'
Govt alert on threat to visitors
HOLIDAYMAKERS have been warned that terror attacks in Tunisia remain 'very likely'.
And the UK Foreign Office advises against going there.
A formal state of emergency has been in place since a deadly strike on a police bus in the nation's capital Tunis in November 2015 — just months after the Sousse bloodshed.
The UK Government told travellers: 'The terrorism threat comes from established groups and individuals.
'Despite some improvements in border security, there remains continuing instability and violence on the border with Libya.
'Security forces have been the primary target in terrorist-related incidents — mainly in border areas, including in the Chaambi Mountains.'
Any Brits who do travel are advised to 'stay aware of surroundings at all times'.
They later learned two men had risked their lives trying to save Jim, a former BAE engineer.
It was discovered he had been left lying for 45 minutes on the steps of the five-star Riu Imperial Marhaba hotel.
And he was comforted in his final moments by fellow Scots holidaymaker Carol Harrison, a nurse at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
The retiree lost his fight for life in the back of an ambulance while Ann, a former medical receptionist, died at the scene.
Mary, 75, admitted: 'It's a day we will never forget. Jim and Ann are still in our memories daily.'
The couple were survived by son Stuart, who later became dad to two kids — grandchildren they never got to meet.
More than 400 people turned out for their funeral at Abronhill Parish Church in Cumbernauld.
Charlie and Mary told how they hold all the victims close to their hearts — including Billy and Lisa, from Bankfoot, Perthshire.
The couple had rushed into the hotel after hearing gunfire from the beach and were herded to apparent safety by staff. But, tragically, both were shot in the chest.
Former squaddie Billy, 51, had worked as a turnstile operator at St Johnstone FC's McDiarmid Park.
He served with 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards and had returned home safely from tours of duty in Iraq, Kuwait and Northern Ireland during The Troubles.
Lisa — affectionately known as 'sun goddess' — had been marking her 50th birthday on the trip.
In the days after the atrocity, shattered resort staff were seen weeping at floral tributes left on the beach, near the city of Sousse.
Tour operators axed holidays to the country while the Home Office advised tourists not to travel there.
Coroner Judge Nicholas Loraine-Smith later accused 'cowardly' Tunisian cops of delaying their arrival as the shooter ran riot.
A 2017 inquest at the High Court in London heard: 'The police were responsible for tourism security. Their response could and should have been effective.
'The simple truth is that a gunman went to the hotel intent on killing as many tourists as he could.
'The response by the police was completely ineffective until the death of the gunman.'
But he ruled against finding travel firm TUI at fault for 'neglect' despite their failures to carry out frequent security risk assessments.
It emerged Rezgui had been supported by a terror cell.
Four fellow jihadists were jailed for life at a Tunisian court in October 2019.
Mary and Charlie told how they plan to remember Jim, Ann and the other victims by visiting a memorial to the tragedy in Birmingham.
Memorial 'Wave' for 31 victims
A SCULPTURE called Infinite Wave is the centrepiece of a memorial for victims.
The artwork has 31 streams representing the 30 Brits who lost their lives in the beach massacre plus one killed in the Bardo museum attack in Tunis three months earlier.
It was created by London and Gloucester-based George King Architects.
They worked on the design with a panel after consultation with bereaved families.
Ripples surrounding the waves represent the impact of the strikes on survivors and victims' relatives.
The work was inspired by flowing water, frozen in place, to illustrate how time 'stood still' during the attacks.
It took four months to complete using 316 stainless steel tubes.
Prince Harry opened the memorial at Birmingham's Cannon Hill Park in 2019.
The Cannon Hill Park sculpture, which has streams representing all the Brits who lost their lives, was unveiled by Prince Harry in 2019.
Charlie told of the life-changing impact of the horror.
He said: 'We've had ten years of retirement and, to be honest, the first five years were horrendous.
'It did put us off going abroad for a long time. We have since been away but not in that area.
'Seeing the memorial will help my wife to feel better. We haven't been back since it was erected.
'When you know an anniversary is coming up, you automatically start thinking about it.
'But when people die, you should not just forget them. You should remember they were here, they had a life, they did amazing things.'
Survivors included Gina Van Dort, of Bushey, Herts, who was rushed to hospital after being shot in the face.
She lost husband Chris Dyer, 32.
Mary added: 'Our thoughts are with all of those who were, and still are, affected by the events ten years ago. We send them our love.'
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