The UK has been rocked by the third terror attack in the space of three months.
On the same weekend as thousands of people head to Manchester for a tribute concert to remember those killed there during the 22 May attack, London was hit by another attack.
Previous attacks
Whenever I hear the appalling news that another attack has happened I’m transported back to the London bombings in 2005.
During the 7/7 bombings in London my family were caught up in the horror across the capital. I heard the reports of the first explosion and instinctively knew it was a bomb.
I knew my son was safely at school, having dropped him off before work, and managed to contact my husband, who was working the other side of London when I got to my office. However, I was unable to contact my daughter. The rising panic was exacerbated when I finally got through to her work placement and found she had not arrived.
In fact she had been at Kings Cross when the bomb exploded and was lucky to get out unhurt.
Words cannot express how it feels just hearing your loved ones are safe. Thinking about that time I waited for news still brings on tears.
The relief when they all finally made it home – one having walked away from the bomb site at Kings cross and out of the capital – and the other having borrowed a bicycle to cycle 25 miles across in the city in lockdown – is indescribable.
Pulling together
I am proud of how people in Britain pull together in times like these. The offers of help – guiding strangers out of London, lending bicycles and offering cars during the 2005 attack – were echoed in Manchester with the offers of taxi rides and accommodation.
The victims
Not everyone is been fortunate enough to hear good news about their friends and family. My heart goes out to those who have lost loved ones.
London’s Resilience
I’d been working in London near Hyde Park when the 1982 bombing took place. After the bombing I carried on living and working in London.
After the 7/7 attack we carried on. I’m not saying my daughter and I weren’t apprehensive taking the tube through Kings Cross for the first time after the attack, but now I don’t think twice about making that journey.
As the Mayor of London said “This is our city. We will never let these cowards win and we will never be cowed by terrorism”
Today a new symbol of London spirit has been spread across twitter and other media. Photos of victims fleeing the attack in London Bridge holding their pints, because not even terrorists can break Londoners’ spirit and love of a good pint.
Londoner’s will keep calm, make tea, drink pints and carry on.
Helpline
The Home Office has set up a website London Bridge and Borough Market attacks, June 2017: support for people affected The site includes phone numbers for the Police Casualty Bureau for people who may be concerned about someone who may have been caught up in the attack: 0800 096 1233 and 020 7158 0197.