Istanbul terror attack: Shropshire businessman tells of his shock after flight home
A Shropshire businessman who was at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport airport just hours before a terror attack that left at least 41 victims dead has spoken of his shock.
Around 230 others were left wounded in a suspected Islamic State suicide bombing at the airport on Tuesday.
Patrick Strong, 70, was returning home to Shrewsbury after a business trip to Albania but had a two-hour transfer wait in the airport's terminal.
He explained that he caught a Turkish Airline flight out of the country shortly before three suspected suicide bombings struck at the the main international airport near Instanbul.
Mr Strong, of Preston Street, Cherry Orchard, said: "I was there about six hours prior to the attack.
"I went on a business trip to Albania and I had to change planes at Ataturk on the way back.
"While I was there there was no indication of anything being amiss. I had a two-hour wait in-transit to Manchester Airport.
"Luggage was being put through X-ray machines and there was a police presence in the terminal building which was reassuring. Unfortunately this was not enough to deter the bombers.
"When I heard what had happened afterwards I was a bit shocked. I feel that it was a close run thing for me.
"This morning the travel service that I used rang me up to check that I had got back safely which was nice of them."
Travellers heading for Turkey are being advised to follow official advice in the wake of the bombing.
Staff at Telford agency Oak Travel, in Hortonwood, said its policy was to tell customers to follow Foreign Office advice.
On its website tour operator Thomson was also advising holiday makers to check the relevant websites for up to date travel information.
Flights to Ataturk have resumed after the three men opened fire before blowing themselves up at the entrance resulting in it being closed temporarily .
Services are being reinstated gradually and travellers are being urged to follow the advice of local security staff.
The Foreign Office is currently advising against all travel to within 10km of Turkey's border with Syria and to the city of Diyarbakir.
Essential travel only is recommended to Sirnak, Mardin, Sanliurfa, Gaziantep, Diyarbakir, Kilis and Hatay provinces, Siirt, Tunceli and Hakkari.
