A MOTHER-OF-TWO whose life was saved when her husband
shielded her from a hail of bullets during the Tunisia beach massacre had to be
taken to his funeral in an ambulance.
Tragic Stephen Mellor, 59, was laid to
rest today after he was killed in last month's terror attack while on holiday with his wife.
He died trying to protect her as the gunman
sprayed bullets at
sunbathers in the popular resort of Sousse.
The 55-year-old was shot in the arm and leg and has
described how her hand was "blown straight off" in the carnage.
But Ms Mellor was well enough to attend the funeral in
the couple's home town of Bodmin, Cornwall.
She was taken to her husband's service in an ambulance
before being immediately taken back to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth after the
ceremony.
She remains in hospital while she continues her own
recovery from the horrific injuries she sustained during the attack.
The ambulance followed the hearse and Cheryl was then
pushed by family members in a wheelchair as she led the mourners into the
church.
Cheryl's injured arm was not on display and was kept
tucked away under her top.
But one of her other arms could be seen with a bandage
around it.
Inside, she gave a moving eulogy.
The Rector of Bodmin, The Revd Canon Graham Minors,
who conducted the service at St Petroc's Church, said: "I think the one
thing she is really saying is that Steve was her soulmate, her best friend, she
loved him dearly.
"That is the theme today, about a family and the
love they had together."
Shortly before the service, Mr Mellor's family
released a statement to thank the community for the messages of condolences
they had received.
It read: "The sons and family of Stephen Mellor
would like to express their thanks for all the support and good wishes they
have received from the Bodmin community.
"In this most difficult of times it gives the
family great support to know that Stephen was loved by so many in the local
area."
The couple, who married in 2006, had hidden behind
their sun loungers when terrorist SeifeddineRezgui opened fire with a
Kalashnikov assault rifle.
Speaking from her hospital bed about her own survival,
she said: "There were bullets everywhere. It was terrifying. The noise
will stay with me forever.
"There were so many screams. My husband turned to
me and said, 'Get down - get down'.
"He said, 'We've got to make a run for it'. I
turned around and there was a gun pointing right at me around 20ft away. I
thought I was dead.
"He blew my hand straight off. All I could see
was this figure with a gun, dressed in black.
"I was screaming at people to check Stephen and
someone looked and they said he had no pulse. They said he was gone.
"I couldn't move. There was nothing I could do. I
just played dead. I was absolutely terrified."
By Tom Batchelor