Tunisian attacks: Survivor describes 'running for life'

Melanie Callaway fled barefoot when she heard gunshots on the beach

A survivor of the Tunisian attack has described the moments she and her friend had to "run for their lives" as the gunman opened fire on the beach.

Melanie Callaway, 45 from Hedge End, Hampshire had just been in the sea with her friend Paula Gill, 48, when the shooting started.

She told of an "absolutely manic" situation on the beach, before spending five hours locked in their hotel room.

The attack near Sousse on Friday has left 38 people dead.

Mrs Callaway and Mrs Gill were about to go for lunch when they heard what they thought was fireworks.

The two women took this picture just minutes before the shooting started

"It soon became clear that it was machine gun fire," she said.

"It was absolutely manic - people were just screaming 'run for your life', 'get off the beach - just run'. It was like a tsunami film where everyone was just running up the beach towards their hotels.

"We had a five-minute run up the footpath with no shoes on. We didn't feel it at the time but later we found we had burnt feet," said Mrs Callaway.

'Constant gunshots'

The pair barricaded themselves in their room in the Royal Kenz Hotel for five hours with a mattress pushed up against the door.

"For the first half hour we heard constant gunshots between the police and the gunman, followed by the sound of helicopters.

The pair spent five hours in their room with a mattress blocking the door

"The staff were running around, risking their own lives getting people off the beach.

While in her room Mrs Callaway was able to make contact with her husband Simon in the UK, as well as the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and their holiday company Thomson.

"It was horrible - we were terrified. We held each other up."

Mr Callaway described the "frustration and anger" at hearing what was happening.

"I just wanted to get her home but I couldn't do anything. It was a relief knowing she was OK."

Mrs Callaway and Mrs Gill later took up Thomson's offer of a place on an emergency flight home later on Friday.

The attack on the beach near Sousse left 38 people dead, the majority British

She described the mood among fellow holidaymakers as "solemn".

"We didn't know how many more gunmen were out there. We weren't sure if it would happen again and we were too upset to relax and continue our holiday knowing people had died."