I found love after Cumbria fiend blasted his shotgun at my head MASSACRE MUM TELLS OF MIRACLE ESCAPE

KILLING SPREE THAT SHOCKED THE NATION

on me that day. I was able to take cover before he let off another round. And whenever we mark the anniversary of when something good happens in my life – like when I got married – I feel so lucky to be alive.”

Emma says she also owes her life to PC Mick Taylor who was taking cover beside an alleyway and shouted: “Just run to me, lass!” as she fled. Despite police efforts, Bird escaped and, armed with a 12-bore sawn-off shotgun and a .22 rifle, went on to shoot anyone in his path while pursued for 45 miles by cops and RAF helicopters. He killed nine more people, including Kenneth Fishburn, 71, retired couple Jennifer, 68 and James Jackson, 67, part-time mole catcher Isaac Dixon, 65, farmer and semi-pro rugby player Garry Purdham, 31, cyclist Michael Pike, 64 and Jane Robinson, 66, who was out delivering catalogues.

One of the survivors was teacher Samantha Chrystie, 30, from Kent, who was on holiday in the Lake District when Bird pulled up and asked if she was having a nice day before shooting her in the face.

Emma added: “Kyle did not know I was going out that day and he could not stop hugging me when I got home from the hospital. He refused to leave my side after that.

“I was in a lot of pain from the bullet pellets and little bits of glass that had lodged in my face and chest. I couldn’t move my arm and

I was very shaken up. I couldn’t stop crying. I had recurring nightmares for a long time afterwards and was scared to leave the house.

“Whenever I looked out my window I would have a vision of Bird standing there with his gun.

“My mum eventually said, ‘You need help’ and took me to the doctor to get some counselling.”

Emma told how a week before the atrocity she and Kyle had been passengers in Bird’s taxi after a shopping trip.

She said: “I remember he [Bird] was dead quiet during the ride. Apart from saying, ‘Jump in,’ asking where we wanted to go and saying thank you after we paid, he did not say a single word. He did not seem like the type to have a conversation with his passengers.”

House wife Emma, now 30 and mum of sons Corbin, 10, eight-year-old Kaleb, and daughter Aurora-lei, 18 months, wed bus driver Kyle in Whitehaven in July 2017.

She said: “Kyle is my first love and I do feel like we were destined to be together.

“We were married in Whitehaven registry office close to where I was almost killed and at one point during the ceremony I broke down in tears.

“Whenever the anniversary comes round all I do is stay in my house with my kids. “I don’t want to think ‘poor me’ because I know I am one of the lucky ones. I could have ended up dead like so many other people did but I got married and had children so my life has worked out perfectly in the end.”