TWO communities came together as one today to commemorate the lives of Corsham couple Eileen Swannack and John Welch in a special remembrance service - a week after their tragic deaths in Tunisia.

Nearly 250 people gathered at St Nicholas Church in Biddestone, the village where 73-year-old Mrs Swannack lived, for a service that paid tribute to the pair.

Mourners have been able to leave written tributes in a book of remembrance since the harrowing news broke that Mrs Swannack and Mr Welch, 74, from Corsham, were among the missing British tourists confirmed to have died in last Friday's beach massacre.

The Rev Jonathan Philpott, priest in charge at St Nicholas Church, led the service. He addressed the congregation and said:

"We will especially remember John and Eileen, known to many of us, but it is right that we stand alongside the nation in remembering all of the victims and their families today.

"Words in themselves will not be enough to express our feelings about what has happened. Today may well take away the pain, anger, fear or sadness but it may help us begin to see how God is present and to help us find a sense of peace among the turmoil of last week."

Friends and family members also paid tribute to the couple after the service.

Reg Francis was a childhood friend of Mr Welch and grew to know him when they used to play football together in Corsham as teenagers.

"I can't describe how I feel. I'm in disbelief and it still hasn't sunk in that they're gone. You always hear about these things happening but never think it could happen to you," Mr Francis said.

Biddestone villager Brian Taylor knew Mrs Swannack since she moved to the village 40 years ago.

He said: "She had a heart of gold and I feel so sorry for the families. They were both involved in the cricket and football clubs and Eileen was part of our community.

"The news still hasn't sunk in for me because they were just on their holidays but were attacked, like who expects that to happen."

Elizabeth Rennison, Carol Cox and Hilary Shaw shared a love of music with Mrs Swannack and the group, known as the Bradettes, would often watch singer Brad Stevens in concert.

Mrs Rennison said: "We used to follow him as a singer and Eileen was one of us but now our chain is broke.

"She was full of life, well they both were and that is why they suited one another. As soon as you meet Eileen you fall in love with her and John was the same.

"Tunisia was a place she and John loved and she died in the place she loved with a man she loved. She was very lucky to find a second man and to love him as much as she did her first husband."

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Eileen Swannack and John Welch

MP for North Wiltshire James Gray was also at the service. He said: "I wanted to pay my respects and I have mentioned in Parliament two times this week about how we need to prevent such attacks.

"John and Eileen were well respected in the community and I am sure they will be sorely missed and my heart goes out to the families."

Throughout the service, Mr Philpott read out the names of all 30 British victims - out of a total of 38 - before holding a minute's silence at midday.

Readings from lay ministers included Psalm 121 a song of ascents by Rev Andrew Johnson of St Bartholomew Church in Corsham and V Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians.

In Corsham, there was also a minute's silence and both the Town Hall and Corsham Cricket Club flags were flown at half-mast.

The couple will be repatriated from Tunisia today and will arrive on a RAF C-17 aircraft into RAF Brize Norton around 3pm.

Elsewhere in the county, Wiltshire Council remembered the victims of the Tunisia terror attacks by flying the Union flag at half-mast outside County Hall, before holding a minute's silence.

The silence was observed at noon - a week after the shocking incident - across the country, while flags were also flown at half-mast over Whitehall departments and Buckingham Palace.

The RAF C-17 carrying the bodies of eight British nationals including Eileen Swannack and John Welch arrives at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire. Picture: Darren Staples/PA Wire

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