Tunisia massacre victim killed on 10th anniversary of husband's death

A British grandmother died in the Sousse terror attack on the 10th anniversary of her husband's death, an inquest has heard.

Lisa Burbidge was among 38 people killed by extremist Seifeddine Rezgui, who opened fire at the five-star Riu Imperial Marhaba Hotel in the Tunisian resort.

The 66-year-old, from Gateshead, was on holiday with three friends when she was shot dead on June 26 2015, 10 years after the death of her husband, Bill.

Her two daughters wept as a portrait of her life was read to the inquest at the Royal Courts of Justice in London, describing how she lived for her family, doted on her grandchildren and cared for her elderly mother.

"Lisa was taken from us far too early and is missed beyond belief," they said.

"A huge hole is left in so many people's hearts and this can never be filled.

"She was a beautiful person, a loving grandmother, mother, sister, daughter and best friend."

The hearing into the deaths of the 30 British victims was told Mrs Burbidge was on the beach with her friend Jennifer McDine when they heard gunshots.

Ms McDine said in a statement that she had seen a police patrol about 15 minutes earlier and had even remarked how safe Tunisia was.

Moments later she hid behind her sunbed and glanced up to see a figure in black with a gun "just like the ones you see on the TV".

She ran up the beach, thinking her friend was ahead of her, and hid inside a toilet cubicle in the hotel until the attack was over.

"It was just chaos, people were running all over the place while we were being shot at," she added.

She and her other two friends waited in their room for hours afterwards for Mrs Burbidge to appear but she never arrived.

They finally identified her body at the hospital mortuary by her toenail polish, the inquest heard.

A post-mortem examination found Mrs Burbidge died from a gunshot wound to the head.

David Thompson, the oldest victim of the attack, was on holiday with his long-term partner, Anne Kear.

They were sitting by the pool when Ms Kear heard a "horrific sound like a bomb", she said in a statement.

She started making her way to the hotel, along with a group of other holidaymakers, but realised the 80-year-old was not with her.

The last time she saw him alive was where she had left him before she fled from the gunman.

She said she was later taken to the hospital mortuary in Tunis to identify his body.

"I looked at the photographs of the males and instantly saw David," she added.

A post-mortem examination found he died from gunshot wounds to the chest.

Mr Thompson and Ms Kear, from Tadley, Hampshire, were both widowed from previous marriages and had bonded over their love of travel and dancing.

A pen portrait written by Ms Kear's family described him as a caring partner who was "very helpful and would put others first".

"We will always be grateful to him for looking after Anne," they said.

Advertisement