In heartbreaking scenes, the bodies of British victims of the Tunisian terrorist attack have been flown back to the UK over the last few days.
Images of their coffins being carried off a plane at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire brought home the true extent of the horror that rocked the world two weeks ago when 38 people - including 30 Brits - were massacred on a beach in Tunisia.
Islamic State (IS) fanatic Seifeddine Rezgui entered Sousse beach with a gun hidden in his parasol, before launching a sickening attack, which also left at least 60 tourists injured.
Crazed Rezgui – who was believed to be high on cocaine - also threw grenades and when police finally shot him dead, they discovered an unexploded bomb with a detonator just inches away, which could have killed many more.
Among the victims was Joel Richards, who was just 19.
Heartbreakingly, his mum, Suzanne Richards - who did not join them on their boys' holiday - also lost her brother, Adrian, 49, and father, Patrick, 78, in the attack.
Suzanne said: "We are a very small and normal family, but nothing will ever be normal again.
"My son, dad and brother were our rocks and we are all heartbroken.
"They were so close that even in those minutes of pure panic the four of them stayed together.
"Their holiday lasted less than 24 hours and their futures and lives ended tragically.”
Just days after the attack we were again reminded of the potential danger we continue to face at home in the UK, as 1,000 police officers, soldiers, emergency services and intelligence officers took part in London’s largest counter-terrorism exercise.
The mock two-day attack – which took place a week before the ten-year anniversary of 7/7 - was staged to test the emergency services’ ability to respond to a gun attack.
Closer spoke to Charlie Edwards, Director of National Security and Resilience Studies at the Royal United Services Institute, who insists the Government is doing everything to protect us.
He said: "The UK is better protected against a terror attack than ever before, but an attack on the UK is likely.
"Although this is a frightening thought, the government is prepared for most situations.
"One crucial way the police and security services have stopped attacks is by intercepting the terrorist’s communications, as most terrorists now leave a ‘digital footprint.’
"It’s a joint operation, involving MI6, MI5, GCHQ, the Police and other agencies, too.
"Under a warrant, the police and agencies gather information in a variety of ways, including intercepting telephone lines, gathering emails or texts messages, or carrying out covert surveillance on a person or property.
“If there's a reason to believe a person poses a threat to the safety of the public, the police will seek to arrest them.
"Despite the risk of terrorism, it is important to remember there are only a very small minority of people in the UK that actually want to be, or are, involved in terrorism.
"Only a small handful ultimately wish to do something, but their actions can be devastating.”
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