Bodies of Midlands Tunisia terror attack victims return

As the C-17 military transport aircraft touched down at Brize Norton in Oxfordshire shortly before 3pm this afternoon, Suzanne Richards - whose son, brother, and father were all killed in the attack - urged the nation to 'fight this evil together'.

Tunisian official now say that all 38 victims shot dead by student Seifeddine Rezgui, 23, at the beach resort of Sousse on Friday have been identified, 30 of whom were British.

Today the identities of two more people who died in the attack emerged.

Relatives of Christopher and Sharon Bell, from Leeds, said they are "deeply saddened" by the deaths in the shooting spree at the beach resort of Sousse on Friday.

Among the dead are 19-year-old Joel Richards from Wednesbury, his uncle, Adrian Evans from Bilston, and grandfather Patrick 'Charles' Evans, 78, also from Wednesbury.

The following statement was today released by West Midlands Police on behalf of Suzanne Richards, for the Evans/Richards families after the death of Patrick Evans, Adrian Evans and Joel Richards:

"We are a very small and normal family, but nothing will ever be normal again. My son Joel, dad Pat and brother Adrian were our rocks and we are all heartbroken and devastated and will never get over losing them.

"They were so close that even in those minutes of pure panic the four of them stayed together.

"The "jolly boys outing" as they called it, was to celebrate Joel finishing his 2nd year at University with high grades and Owen finishing his GCSE'S.

"Their holiday lasted less than 24 hours and their futures and lives ended tragically.

"We would like to say how overwhelmed we are with everyone's tributes, flowers, cards and generosity. They were pure diamonds and will never be forgotten.

"As a nation we must fight this evil together and smile for Joel, Ade and Pat."

The family have also stated that they will not be commenting further and wish to be left to come to terms with their loss in private.

Adrian Evans had worked for Sandwell Council for 32 years. Today the council's general manager for neighbourhood services Mark Peniket today paid tribute to the 49-year-old saying he had a big personality and describing him as a 'popular and likeable' person, adding: "I couldn't list the number of qualities he had. He was passionate and dedicated... He was a great person."

Mr Richards' former headteacher at Stuart Bathurst in Wednesbury described him as 'a highly intelligent young man'.

He continued: "He was a very able sportsman, he excelled in the classroom and the sports field. He was the kind of student everyone respected.

"He was really well-mannered and would help anybody.

"The fact he was head boy was fitting to what people felt about him."

Mr Cameron said of the British death toll: "We do expect it to rise still further."

He told the Commons he was looking at creating a ministerial committee to co-ordinate work across Government "to provide all the support that the victims of this appalling attack deserve and also to make sure that, as a nation, we mark and commemorate this event appropriately".

Mr Cameron later tweeted:

The first RAF repatriation flights left Britain early this morning and will carry the bodies back to the UK, with the process expected to take a number of days.

Those wounded have already been brought back to the UK, with four severely injured holidaymakers flown home. They are being treated at hospitals in Birmingham, Oxford, Plymouth and London.

Among the four is Allison Heathcote, 48, from Felixstowe, Suffolk, who was celebrating her 30th wedding anniversary when she was gunned down.

She was shot repeatedly in her stomach and shoulder and was pictured shortly after the attack in her pink bikini lying immobile on a sun lounger as hotel staff tended to her wounds.

Her husband Philip, 52, was killed in the terror attack. She has undergone surgery at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, where she is in a critical condition.

Tunisian authorities are questioning several suspected associates of Rezgui, who had links to the terror group Islamic State (IS).

They have said he acted alone during the rampage but had accomplices who supported him before, providing him with weapons and logistical support.

Tunisian president Beji Caid Essebsi said an investigation was under way into security failures and there would be armed tourist police on beaches.

A minute's silence will be held in memory of the victims at noon on Friday, a week after the outrage. Flags are expected to be flown at half-mast over government departments and Buckingham Palace that day.

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond is chairing a meeting of the Government's Cobra emergencies committee later to discuss the latest situation.

Foreign Office minister Tobias Ellwood, who has been in Tunisia to speak with ministers there and support officials helping families, is due to be at Brize Norton when the first bodies arrive back. Mr Ellwood lost his own brother to a terrorist bomb in Bali, Indonesia, in 2002.

Those being returned include Mr Stollery, 58, a social worker from Nottinghamshire who was on holiday with his wife Cheryl, Mr Thwaites, a former Birmingham City football player and wife Elaine, and engineer Mr Mellor, from Bodmin in Cornwall, who was killed as he shielded his wife on the beach.

Patrick Evans, also known as Charles, was believed to be 78. He was in Tunisia with his son Adrian and his 19-year-old grandson Joel. Adrian worked as a manager in a gas services department, while Joel was believed to be a talented football referee.

Ms Lovett was a 24-year-old fashion blogger from Lincolnshire.