Tunisia terror victims' bodies flown back to UK

London: Bodies of some of the British tourists killed by a gunman in Tunisia have been flown back home by the Royal Air Force.

Eight coffins were flown home on an RAF C17 from Tunis to RAF Brize Norton, in Oxfordshire, and were taken off the plane one by one.

Thirty of the 38 victims are thought to have been British and the repatriation of the bodies is likely to take several days, with a joint inquest to follow.

The latest British victims to be named are Christopher and Sharon Bell from Leeds.

Their family said, "We are deeply saddened by the loss of both mum Sharon and dad Christopher, who were taken from us during the terrorist attacks in Tunisia".

The bodies on the flight are those of relatives Adrian Evans, Charles Evans and Joel Richards, as well as Carly Lovett, Stephen Mellor, John Stollery, Denis Thwaites and Elaine Thwaites.

As the plane landed, a statement was released on behalf of Suzanne Richards for the Evans and Richards families which said, "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".

Tunisian authorities have arrested several people on suspicion of helping gunman Seifeddine Rezgui and at least two other suspects are wanted by police.

The 23-year-old student, who had links to the Islamic State jihadist group, was shot dead by police after the killings on the beach in Sousse on June 26.