Mumbai ordeal couple land in UK

Lynne and Ken Shaw had been travelling in India for a month.

A Welsh couple who were caught up in the shooting attacks in Mumbai have arrived home in the UK.

Lynne and Ken Shaw landed at Heathrow Airport at around 0700 GMT on Friday on a flight arranged by the British Consulate.

Mrs Shaw had to hide under a table as attackers stormed the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. She and her husband, from Penarth, were later rescued by Gurkhas.

Their family has travelled to the airport to welcome them home.

At least 130 people have been killed and 300 injured after gunmen targeted at least seven sites in the Indian city late on Wednesday.

Speaking before the couple arrived in the UK, Mrs Shaw's sister, Louise Booker, said they were "relieved" after finding out the couple were heading home and that she was looking forward to seeing them at the airport.

She said they had had to watch the 24-hour news coverage to try to find out what was happening after their mother received a brief phone call from Mrs Shaw as she hid under a table.

My heart goes out to all the other people who haven't had the good news we have had Louise Booker

"All she was able to say was that she was able to make one phone call and she was under the table in the hotel and that there had been a bomb and firing and that she was very frightened but she was okay. And at that stage that was all we knew," she said.

She said it was "agonising" watching news coverage, not sure what had happened to the couple

They eventually received another phone call from Mrs Shaw to say they were safe.

"All she was able to say was that they were eventually asked to come out with their hands on their heads and that she said even at that stage they didn't know who was bringing them out until they saw the Ghurkhas," said Ms Booker.

"She said then she breathed a sigh of relief. But then they had to make a run for the bus and even as the bus was leaving the area there were shots being fired. They were taken straight to the Australian Embassy and safety."

Mr and Mrs Shaw were at the end of a month-long trip to India and were planning to spend three days relaxing in Mumbai when the attacks happened.

They had previously been to India "three or four times", Ms Booker said, enjoying travelling around a country they love.

As she prepared to go and meet her sister and brother-in-law at Heathrow, Ms Booker added: "My heart goes out to all the other people who haven't had the good news we have had."

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