Survivors tell of terror:
THE terror on Nice’s picturesque Promenade des Anglais unfolded slowly.
Late-night revellers at first thought the noises they were hearing were still the fireworks marking France’s national Bastille Day. In fact, they were police gunshots, trying to stop the truck killer beginning his mile-long journey of mayhem.
Richard Gutjahr, a German TV journalist, saw the white lorry approaching the crowds on the seafront.
“With all the people, all the families celebrating, this truck was approaching and it was approaching very slowly so it didn’t really rush but you could ask yourself: ‘What is a truck doing in the heart of this?’” he said.
He claimed a motorcyclist tried to stop the lorry before being run over and then two police officers fired shots at the driver.
“From that moment on, the rampage took place,” he declared. “The vehicle accelerated and ran in a very odd way right in the middle of the crowd.
“The panic really kicked in when the gunshots were shot and it went on for 15 to 20 seconds of gunfire from several guns. That was the moment when everyone understood that it was not just an ordinary accident.”
Marcus Freeman, 45, from Sydney, Australia, on holiday with his wife Sally-Anne, said the promenade was “a sea of people”.
“Within 10 or 15 minutes after the fireworks had completed, we heard gunshots. First instance, I thought: ‘Is it someone has set fire to the back of a car? Or is it a little firework that went off or something?’
“But then, instantly, terror set in because everyone was running for their lives.
“We were fortunate there was probably about 15 or 20 minutes until our hotel room and we made a mad dash for there.”
Tracy Findlater, a 48-year-old engineering technician from Glasgow was eating dinner with her partner, Lesley Eadie, just off the promenade when the attack happened.
“All of a sudden people were running up the street; the noise of screaming and glasses smashing was unbelievable,” she explained.
“We didn’t have a clue what had happened but everyone piled into the restaurant and waited.
“I thought it might have just been panic because of rogue fireworks or something. But the guy in the restaurant said there had been shots fired.”
She and her partner quickly headed back to their holiday apartment.
“If we hadn’t been late out for dinner, we would have been there watching the fireworks. That’s the scariest part.”
Ms Findlater added: “There were so many babies and children still out too, and a little old lady in a wheelchair who got caught in the panic. It’s very surreal here today; lots of stunned faces and women crying quietly in cafés.”
Sandra Kinloch, from Stanley, Perthshire, said the truck passed barely two metres from her.
“I was walking on the promenade and, seconds later, the lorry didn’t have its lights on, so we could just hear it, it was coming at speed and it was noisy and kicking over bins and things. We were just so lucky to get out of the way at the right time.”
She added: “I just want to go home but we’re stuck now, it’s awful.”
Slovakian Tereza Cerevenova, 25, who lives in London but is on holiday with her family in Nice, regarded herself as “incredibly lucky” because her hotel was on the promenade.
“We were getting inside as the truck started its deadly journey. People started flooding into the hotel. We didn’t know what was happening.
“People heard gun shots, panic everywhere. People were lying on the street, hiding behind cars.
“Three strangers took shelter in our hotel room, many dozens more in other rooms and corridors and reception,” she added.
In the wake of the attack, Police Scotland announced it was reviewing security arrangements as a precautionary measure.
The force stressed there is no specific information that suggests the country is at risk, but added the UK threat level remains at “severe”.
Flags on government buildings across the UK were flown at half mast. The Palace of Westminster was last night lit up in the red, white and blue colours of the French tricolour.
At the Open Championship at Royal Troon, players wore black armbands out of respect for the dead, while the French flag was hoisted.
In Glasgow, George Square fell silent as players and spectators at the Homeless World Cup paid their own tribute to the victims of the terror attack.
A minute’s silence was held in solidarity ahead of a hastily arranged France versus the World match as the week-long event drew to a close.
The French women’s team appeared visibly moved as they stood alongside players from across the world as all three football pitches were brought to a standstill.
France had not been scheduled to compete but the team asked if they could play a friendly game in honour of the victims.
French players had painted their country’s flag beside the Scotland flag and peace signs on their cheeks. Players stood with their hands on their chest ahead of the game.
Abandoning the customary hand-shaking between two teams, the women embraced each other in a moment of compassion.
The players then stood in a huddle, with some wiping away tears as the game kicked off.
Despite losing by a goal, the French team looked closer than ever as they were serenaded with chants from friends in the stands.
All of a sudden people were running up the street; the noise of screaming was unbelievable