Student Witnessed horror of bus attack (From Gazette Series)

Student Witnessed horror of bus attack

THE mother of a student who had a narrow escape from the terror attacks in London has told of her worry for her daughter's safety.

Diane Standing's daughter Clare had been staying in a youth hostel in Tavistock Road just yards from where the bomb exploded on the bus in Tavistock Square.

Mrs Standing, from Slimbridge, told the Gazette that she and Clare's father Terry had been worried because they could not get hold of her as the mobile networks had been shut down.

"We couldn't get in touch with her because the mobile networks had gone down in the capital and we were very worried," she said. "I thought that she was staying further down the road - I didn't realise that she had been so close.

"She was in London for an exhibition of her work and had to use the underground system to get there. I didn't know if she was going to be using it that day."

The frantic wait for news was over when her husband finally made contact with Clare at lunchtime.

Mrs Standing continued: "After lunch time my husband called me to say that he had contacted her and she had told him she was fine. She told him that she had been woken up by the blast and all she could hear was helicopters in the sky, sirens and people screaming. She also told him that one of the tube stations where there had been a blast was one she would have to use the following day. I heard later that there had been a suspect bomb in the hotel next to where she had been staying but she was safe from that.

"She tried to get out of London but the traffic was awful and they decided to stay there for the night. She got out of the city on Friday but it took her a long time."

She added: "I am just so glad that she is ok."