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'We must fight this evil together as a nation': Grieving mother's rallying call as bodies of West Midlands Tunisia terror victims return home

A flight containing the bodies of eight Britons killed by a gunman in the Tunisian beach massacre - including three from the Black Country - has landed back in the UK, as the family released an emotional statement.

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As the C-17 military transport aircraft touched down at Brize Norton in Oxfordshire shortly before 3pm yesterday afternoon, Suzanne Richards - whose son, brother, and father were all killed in the attack - urged the nation to 'fight this evil together'.

The coffin of Adrian Evans is taken from the RAF C-17
Black Country family members (from left), Adrian Evans, Joel Richards and Patrick Evans, were all killed in the Tunisia beach massacre

"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.

"They were so close that even in those minutes of pure panic the four of them stayed together.

"The "jolly boys outing" as they called it, was to celebrate Joel finishing his 2nd year at University with high grades and Owen finishing his GCSE'S.

"Their holiday lasted less than 24 hours and their futures and lives ended tragically.

"We would like to say how overwhelmed we are with everyone's tributes, flowers, cards and generosity. They were pure diamonds and will never be forgotten.

"As a nation we must fight this evil together and smile for Joel, Ade and Pat."

Relatives wept and comforted each other as the military transport aircraft, which left Tunis airport earlier today, landed.

Among the dead are 19-year-old Joel Richards from Wednesbury, his uncle, Adrian Evans from Bilston, and grandfather Patrick 'Charles' Evans, 78, also from Wednesbury.

The coffins of Adrian Evans, Patrick Evans, Joel Richards, Carly Lovett, Stephen Mellor, John Stollery, and former Birmingham City player Denis Thwaites and his wife Elaine were adorned with white flowers and were carried off the plane by members of the armed forces.

They were among the 38 people shot dead by student Seifeddine Rezgui, 23, at the beach resort of Sousse on Friday.

The repatriation process of all the victims is expected to take a number of days.

Tunisian official now say that all 38 victims have been identified, 30 of whom are British.

More of the 30 Britons who died were named yesterday as tributes continued to be paid to those killed.

The family of John Welch, 74, from Corsham in Wiltshire, have had confirmation that he died in the terror attack, Wiltshire Police said.

Mr Welch was in Tunisia with his partner of eight years, Eileen Swannack, aged 73, and the couple were regular visitors to the beach resort of Sousse.

Police are still waiting for the formal identification of Eileen Swannack but it is highly likely that she also died with her partner.

Adrian Evans had worked for Sandwell Council for 32 years. Today the council's general manager for neighbourhood services Mark Peniket today paid tribute to the 49-year-old saying he had a big personality and describing him as a 'popular and likeable' person, adding: "I couldn't list the number of qualities he had. He was passionate and dedicated... He was a great person."

The coffin of Joel Richards is taken from the RAF plane

Mr Richards' former headteacher at Stuart Bathurst in Wednesbury described him as 'a highly intelligent young man'.

He continued: "He was a very able sportsman, he excelled in the classroom and the sports field. He was the kind of student everyone respected.

"He was really well-mannered and would help anybody.

"The fact he was head boy was fitting to what people felt about him."

Twelve people have been arrested in the investigation in to the massacre officials have said.

Tunisia's Radio Mosaique reported that Lazhar Akremi, a senior official with the ruling Nida Tounes party, made the announcement at a party meeting. The report did not say when or where the arrests took place.

The Tunisian government is holding a news conference today in the capital Tunis about the investigation into Friday's attack.

Prime Minister David Cameron said of the British death toll: "We do expect it to rise still further."

He told the Commons he was looking at creating a ministerial committee to co-ordinate work across Government "to provide all the support that the victims of this appalling attack deserve and also to make sure that, as a nation, we mark and commemorate this event appropriately".

Mr Cameron later tweeted:

The first RAF repatriation flights left Britain early yesterday morning and will carry the bodies back to the UK, with the process expected to take a number of days.

Those wounded have already been brought back to the UK, with four severely injured holidaymakers flown home. They are being treated at hospitals in Birmingham, Oxford, Plymouth and London.

Captain Jason Poole Royal Navy salutes as a convoy of four ambulances carrying the bodies of eight Britons shot dead by student Seifeddine Rezgui, arrive at Tunis military airport

Among the four is Allison Heathcote, 48, from Felixstowe, Suffolk, who was celebrating her 30th wedding anniversary when she was gunned down.

She was shot repeatedly in her stomach and shoulder and was pictured shortly after the attack in her pink bikini lying immobile on a sun lounger as hotel staff tended to her wounds.

Her husband Philip, 52, was killed in the terror attack. She has undergone surgery at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, where she is in a critical condition.

Tunisian authorities are questioning several suspected associates of Rezgui, who had links to the terror group Islamic State (IS).

They have said he acted alone during the rampage but had accomplices who supported him before, providing him with weapons and logistical support.

Tunisian president Beji Caid Essebsi said an investigation was under way into security failures and there would be armed tourist police on beaches.

A minute's silence will be held in memory of the victims at noon on Friday, a week after the outrage. Flags are expected to be flown at half-mast over government departments and Buckingham Palace that day.

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond is chairing a meeting of the Government's Cobra emergencies committee later to discuss the latest situation.

Foreign Office minister Tobias Ellwood, who has been in Tunisia to speak with ministers there and support officials helping families, is due to be at Brize Norton when the first bodies arrive back. Mr Ellwood lost his own brother to a terrorist bomb in Bali, Indonesia, in 2002.

Those being returned include Mr Stollery, 58, a social worker from Nottinghamshire who was on holiday with his wife Cheryl, Mr Thwaites, a former Birmingham City football player and wife Elaine, and engineer Mr Mellor, from Bodmin in Cornwall, who was killed as he shielded his wife on the beach.

Patrick Evans, also known as Charles, was believed to be 78. He was in Tunisia with his son Adrian and his 19-year-old grandson Joel. Adrian worked as a manager in a gas services department, while Joel was believed to be a talented football referee.

Ms Lovett was a 24-year-old fashion blogger from Lincolnshire.

A convoy of four ambulances carrying the bodies of eight Britons shot dead by student Seifeddine Rezgui, arrive at Tunis military airport, ahead of an RAF flight back to Brize Norton in Oxfordshire
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