BERLIN TERROR
Family caught in market horror
A family believes a spur-of-themoment decision to turn back and look at festive decorations at the Berlin Christmas market saved their lives.
Lynn and Barry Butler, from Maidstone, were on a short break with daughter Laura and her fiancé Alan and were looking round the market at Breitscheidplatz when a truck ploughed into stalls in a suspected terror attack.
The attack at 8.15pm local time on Monday left 12 people dead and 48 injured.
Lynn said: “We were on our way out of the market at the point where the lorry entered when Laura, 28, said ‘Mum, can we stop for a minute and look at these decorations?’
“While we were looking we heard a loud rumbling noise and people crying out. A group of policemen ran past me and nearly knocked me over.
“Some people were saying there were not enough police but we saw plenty. A woman came towards us limping and crying and the stallholders were in floods of tears.
“It was surreal and we didn’t want to go anywhere near the exit as my husband said there might be a bomb on the lorry.
“It happened less than 50 yards away and we are very lucky as it could have been so much worse.
“If my daughter hadn’t asked to look at those decorations we would have been in the centre of it.”
Lynn owns Indulgence Cafe in Coombe Lane, Tenterden, while Barry is medically retired due to a heart condition.
A Polish man was found shot dead in the passenger seat of the bus. The family flew out on Mon- day and were due back yesterday (Thursday). Lynn said the terror attack would not stop them continuing with their plans.
She said on Tuesday: “We are taking the tourist bus today to look round the city as we can’t give in [to these attacks].
“It could all have been so different but I guess it wasn’t our time to go.”