Cumbrians have spoken of their shock after narrowly missing being caught up in the Barcelona terror horror.

Two retired teachers were forced to seek refuge in one of the city's biggest department stores.

Sue and Brian Convey, of Penrith, are in Barcelona visiting her son, his girlfriend and their new six-week-old granddaughter Amaia when the terror attack happened on Las Ramblas - one of city's biggest streets.

Sue, 65, told the News & Star how a moment after leaving the store they were confronted by an "enormous crowd of frightened people practically stampeding into the store."

She said: "We had gone for a stroll in the late afternoon and headed down to Las Ramblas.

"We went into the large department store at the top of the street called El Corte Ingles and spent some time in there enjoying the air conditioning - it's slightly hotter here than Cumbria.

"We were leaving the store at approximately 5pm, literally a few steps out of the store when we were aware of a huge commotion and saw an enormous crowd of frightened people practically stampeding into the store.

"We turned and ran back into the store just ahead of them to avoid the crush, people were spilling everywhere.

"I saw one young lad collide with a man in a wheelchair. Luckily, it is a vast store and people soon dispersed, we moved further into the store and kept away from the windows.

"We didn't know what had happened, but it was obvious it was something awful, there were people crouching down behind counters, some were in tears, one man was given a tissue to wipe his eyes. Small kindnesses from strangers."

The attack happened just minutes after the deputy leader of Carlisle City Council and his wife left the attack site.

Les Tickner described how fellow passengers on a cruise ship let loved ones know they were safe after boarding shortly before 13 people were killed and more than 100 injured.

A west Cumbrian family were also close to being caught up in the horrific terror attack.

At 4.50pm local time yesterday a white van smashed into people on Las Ramblas, a famous street in central Barcelona that was packed with tourists.

Mr Tickner, councillor for Belle Vue, had been with his wife Elaine on this street, before boarding his cruise ship at the bottom of the boulevard at about 4.30pm.
Les Tickner

They discovered what had happened as they were back onboard.

Mr Tickner said: "We were in Las Ramblas most of the day.

"We had to get back on the ship by 4.30pm.

"We were half an hour away. If the time to get back had been just a bit later we would have been there."

Mr Tickner said the street, lined with restaurants, bars and cafes, had been packed with people.

"It was predominantly families," he said. "It's awful for all those people.

"We heard about it back on the ship. We put the TV on in the cabin when we first heard of it.

"Everybody onboard was shocked. You think of all the people.

"They sailed the ship along the coast for two hours so people could ring home and let people know they were safe."

Despite the scale of the tragedy, he did not think terrorism attacks like this would scare people away from going to big European cities.

"They (terrorists) want to stop people and ruin the tourism industry," he said.

"I don't think it's going to stop people going. Nothing like this would put me off."

Music producer Tom Tyson, who is on a cruise with his wife Pamela and 13-year-old daughter Anna-Louise, also visited Las Ramblas just 30 minutes before the attack happened.

They too discovered the awful news of what happened when they returned to their cruise ship.


Tom, who runs the Music Farm Studio at Egremont, said: "We have been to Barcelona several times before.

"We just got off the ship and we walked to Las Ramblas - we went right up and down the street.

"Luckily we just left the area about 30 minutes before that happened.

"It's a very strange feeling.

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone affected," he said.

"Today we are in Cannes. The mood on the ship today is subdued and very quiet."

He said today is a special day for him and his wife as they celebrate their 35th wedding anniversary, but it is also a very sad day following the horrific attack.

The Egremont family started their cruise at Southampton last Saturday. They have already been to a town near Seville before heading to Barcelona.

They are on now on board the cruise ship in Cannes. The cruise is due to set sail to Rome and Naples.

Tom said this incident has been a second close call for him, as he was also at Westminster Bridge, in London six hours before the tragic attack in May.

Tom posted on Facebook last night to let his friends and family know the family is safe.