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Tunisia inquests: Teen tried to shield grandfather from gunman

Owen Richards, 16, saw his brother, grandfather and uncle die as Seifeddine Rezgui opened fire at a beach resort in Tunisia.

Student Joel Richards (C), his uncle Adrian Evans (R) and his grandfather Charles 'Patrick' Evans
Image: Student Joel Richards (C), his uncle Adrian Evans (R) and his grandfather Charles 'Pat' Evans
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The coroner presiding over the inquests into the Britons killed in the Tunisian resort massacre has praised the "extraordinary courage" of a teenager who tried to protect his elderly grandfather from the gunman.

Owen Richards also saw his brother and his uncle killed, but escaped with just a graze.

Sixteen-year-old Owen and 19-year-old Joel Richards had gone on holiday along with their uncle Adrian Evans and their grandfather Charles Evans, known to his family as Pat.

It was their third trip to the Imperial Marhaba hotel. They had arrived in Tunisia just 12 hours before Seifeddine Rezgui carried out his attack in the resort in Sousse.

Owen Richards and mother Suzy Evans
Image: Owen Richards and his mother Suzanne Evans

The family had been relaxing in and around the resort's outdoor swimming pool when the boys heard gunfire and tried to help their grandfather to run inside the hotel.

They tried to get into a lift but it took a long time to arrive so they ran towards the indoor pool area.

In a statement read out in court, Owen said they were aware the noise of gunfire was getting closer, but his grandfather kept falling over and they could not move fast enough.

More on Tunisia

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Tunisia beach attack footage played at inquest

He said he was hugging his grandfather and out of the corner of his eye saw his brother Joel screaming for mercy.

"He shouted 'No' three times, pleading with him to stop. I closed my eyes and heard a burst of firing."

Owen said he felt warm liquid hit him and when he opened his eyes, his grandfather had been shot in the neck.

"Grandad said: 'He's got me'. I told him to stay still and play dead."

He heard the gunman coming back and heard a loud single bang close to his ear. His grandfather had been shot again and his blood was pouring over him.

When he got up he realised his brother's eyes were lifeless and his uncle was face down in a pool of blood.

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Video tracks the route taken by Tunisian attacker

Owen ran out of the hotel, and it was only when he was put in an ambulance and taken to hospital that he realised he had been injured. A bullet had grazed his shoulder.

Adrian Evans (L), Charles Evans and Joel Richards
Image: The family were all fans of Walsall football club

Earlier on Wednesday, his mother Suzanne Evans read statements describing how she had lost her son, her brother and her father in the June 2015 attack in which 38 tourists - 30 of them British holidaymakers - were killed.

She said the attack had destroyed her family and "every day is a colossal struggle".

But she movingly paid tribute to each of her close relatives.

Thirty Britons died in the terror attack on 26 June, 2015
Image: Thirty Britons died in the terror attack on 26 June, 2015

She said her father Pat was a devoted grandfather, and her brother also spent much of his time with her boys.

Mrs Evans described how her elder son Joel was on his way to fulfilling his ambition to be a Premier League referee, and had been selected to officiate at an international tournament in Hungary.

She listed a number of sports halls, buildings and sporting awards which have now been named after him.

Miss Evans said Joel "achieved more in his short life than others will achieve in a lifetime".

"The world has lost a truly shining star."