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'Hero' husband protected wife during Tunisia gun massacre

Cheryl Mellor says her husband Stephen said "I love you" as a gunman opened fire on them on the beach in Sousse in 2015.

Stephen Mellor, a 59-year-old engineer from East Cornwall
Image: Stephen Mellor, 59, was shot in the chest and abdomen
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A survivor of the Tunisia hotel massacre has described how her husband sacrificed his own life to protect her from a gunman who killed 38 tourists.

Cheryl Mellor told an inquest at London's Royal Courts of Justice that partner Stephen, 59, said "Oh my God, this is it, I love you" as Seifeddine Rezgui turned his gun on them at the five-star Riu Imperial Marhaba Hotel in Sousse.

In a statement, she said: "I am only here today due to the bravery of my husband Stephen.

"We were being shot and he protected me. Stephen stayed and saved me. He sacrificed himself. Stephen is a hero to me."

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Tunisia beach attack footage played at inquest

Mr Mellor, an engineer from Bodmin, Cornwall, died after being shot in the chest and abdomen on 26 June, 2015.

Mrs Mellor suffered life-changing injuries and was shot in the leg and wrist.

She told the court she saw the gunman open fire on a woman who was pleading for her life as she and her husband lay on the ground near some sun loungers.

More on Tunisia

The woman said "please, I have got family", but Rezgui shot her anyway and seemed to be pleased by it, Mrs Mellor said.

Attacj victim Sue Davey (second left) 43, from Staffordshire, with her children
Image: Attack victim Sue Davey (second left) 43, from Staffordshire, with her children

The gunman then turned his attention to the couple and she described seeing "an orange cloud" from the gun and hearing a sound like fireworks.

Mrs Mellor described hearing the sound of a shot and saw the foot of a female holidaymaker "jump", and said that she assumed she was dead.

When Rezgui moved on, she was unable to get an answer from her husband and could not get to him due to her injuries.

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Video tracks the route taken by Tunisian attacker

Another tourist, Allen Pembroke, found her on the beach and at her insistence told her that Stephen Mellor had been killed.

Mrs Mellor then refused to leave his side, despite Mr Pembroke offering to carry her to safety.

The inquest heard that mother-of-three Suzanne Davey, 43, of Tamworth, Staffordshire, and her partner Scott Chalkely, 42, of Chaddesden, Derby, were also killed on the beach.

Scott Chalkley from Derby
Image: Scott Chalkely from Derby

Ms Davey was shot in the chest and neck. Mr Chalkely, a former Royal Fusilier, was shot in the chest, abdomen and pelvis.

The inquests will resume on Thursday.