We heard Boston Marathon blast on the phone

"I was nonplussed at first by the sound. Then the alarms and everything were going off and I was concerned it was a gas leak explosion.

"It was such a boom, and I know phones are good, but you really did get the power of it."

Jean and her husband Max, 77, a retired Shropshire Star employee, are in regular contact with their son, Ed, who has lived in Boston for 20 years and had called to wish him a happy birthday.

Jean, a retired teacher from Admaston, added: "People in Boston are very friendly and welcoming and they celebrate with enthusiasm so the streets would have been full and people would have been happy. It is a big family day so for this to happen is just indescribable."

Now the city is trying to recover from an act of terror that has left three people dead and more than 170 injured. But Boston's residents are determined to show the world that they are resilient as life slowly tries to return to normal.

Ed, 49, who was born in Wellington, said: "I think it's a resolve not to be beaten by this.

"There is an outpouring of support and a big effort to check on neighbours and friends to make sure everyone is okay. Everyone is taking a little more time to talk to neighbours.

"There are a lot of people wearing Boston Marathon jackets from this year and past years as a show of support."

His son Christopher, 15, is also playing his part. He sings with around 40 other youngsters in the Boston Children's Chorus and the choir got an unexpected call to travel to New York on Wednesday to appear on the popular ABC show, Good Morning America, to pay a special tribute to their hometown.

His mother, Shyana said: "They sang U2's 'Pride'. Christopher said it was hard to hold back tears while they were rehearsing for their performance."

The couple's daughter Evelyn, 11, goes to school near the blast site.

It was due to reopen today as it was within the crime zone cordoned off by police.

Shyana said K-9 sniffer dogs had now checked out the premises and parents had been allowed in for a grief counselling meeting to help them deal with what had happened and understand how their children were dealing with the atrocity.

"The city and neighbourhood have really come together to support and comfort each other. Despite the heavy presence of armed forces, police and numerous media trucks outside our home and in the neighbourhood people are trying to get back to normal."

Ed added: "We live right round the corner and it was a bit close to home. My wife rang me very panicked but at least I knew they were safe."

Just hours before the blast Shyana Harper and Evelyn had been near the finish line watching the first runners come home.

Ed, a product manager for a video editing company, was at work despite it being Patroit's Day, while their son was out running errands.

Thankfully Shyana and Evelyn popped back home to start preparing for Ed's birthday celebration as she wanted to make an ice cream cake.

Once home they met up with Christopher, but the three of them fully intended to go back to cheer the runners on later in the day.

Shyana said: "Our 'spot' to watch the race is on Exeter Street at Boylston and thus right between the two explosions. We usually stand near there as we live just two blocks away from the finish line.

"The blasts shook our building. Both Christopher and Evelyn saw the smoke from the blast and we saw people evacuating an adjacent restaurant from our window. I went outside to investigate to find the street in mayhem and injured people lying on the street.

"It was very distressing and I came back home to be safe with the kids who were visibly upset, to reassure them that we were going to be okay.

"It was very difficult to celebrate Ed's birthday on a day like this. I had already planned a special dinner though it was far from a festive occasion.

"I ended up slicing the cake and sending it to a few of our immediate neighbours, two of whom had been in the seated section at the finish line when the blast went off.

"We all had to be there for each other to comfort and process what had happened earlier in the day."

She said the family live in a substantial apartment block but the blast shook the building and rattled the windows.

Ed said the marathon was a major event for his family, and they have rarely missed one. "So many, many people get to see the race and near the finish it's always a party mood to celebrate the huge feat of the runners.

"The marathon is a beautiful event and I always go down, even late in the day, and I would have gone down on Monday.

"It is just a wonderful atmosphere generally for days before and after and they have tried to steal that away. People will come back and watch it but this will be in the back of their minds. It is just so miserable."