7/7 Families Empathise With Tunisia Relatives

Families who lost loved ones in the 2005 London bombings say they know what the people who lost relatives in Tunisia are going through.

Grahame Russell's son, Philip, was murdered on the number 30 bus in Tavistock Square when a suicide bomber detonated his device.

He told Sky News: "We are full of empathy for these people in Tunisia because we know what it was like.

"They'll be in a state of shock. They'll shut themselves down and everything that happens to them for a period of time will go completely over their heads.

"They'll just be walking through a mire and they will be in a bad state."

When asked what could possibly help them, Mr Russell replied: "Nothing can make them feel better, to be perfectly honest.

"You go through the stage of anger, everybody does. I'm not angry anymore because there's no point. If I was angry it would wreck my life but why should I be angry with something I had no control over?"

Ten years on from the 7/7 bombings, commemorations are being held to remember the 52 people who died.

Another victim was Miriam Hyman. She was evacuated from King's Cross after the first bombs went off on the Underground.

She then boarded the number 30 bus and sat in front of the suicide bomber.

Miriam's sister, Esther, said coming to terms with the tragic luck of being in the wrong place at the wrong time was hard.

She said: "It was so chancy that she should be where she was. So she really had no chance of survival. If you don't accept it then that means you're fighting it and you drive yourself crazy."

Families of the 7/7 victims were brought together on Monday evening along with survivors and emergency service personnel who responded to the attacks.

A memorial lecture was held to remember the victims and publicise a fundraising campaign to build a permanent memorial in Tavistock Square Gardens.

More events are being planned for the anniversary on 7 July.