TWO Forest couples escaped being caught up in the Tunisian beach atrocity because of the cost of staying at a hotel.

Mrs Kathy Jones of Cinderford had planned to book rooms at the Marhaba Hotel in Skanes, outside which the terrorist linked to so-called Islamic State struck, killing 38 tourists, including 29 Britons, and injuring many more.

But instead Mrs Jones chose the neighbouring Belle Vue Hotel because it was a few hundred pounds cheaper for her, husband Merv and friends Lynn and Pete Webb.

The couples decided to tell their stories to the Review after reading 'rubbish' in national newspapers about the 'fantastic' hotel staff and holiday company reps at the Mediterraean resort.

The friends have been going on holiday for some five years and have previously stayed at the Belle Vue. They say they will return to Tunisia in future.

Mrs Jones, of Peacock Lane, said: "I was actually asleep on the beach as the attack started and woke to hear gunshots and people shouting.

"People were screaming 'get off the beach' and it was then that the hotel staff raced down and helped us all through a side door of the hotel and into the basement.

"The staff were just fantastic. They blew whistles and shepherded us across the beach to safety.

"They kept going back to get more people even though the attack was still going on.

"We weren't going to say anything but there has been rubbish in the papers having a go at Thomson's and the hotel but we've had excellent service – we know we are going to be reimbursed

"They looked after us from the minute the rep got into the hotel until we got back home.

"Some of the reps couldn't get in because the place was in lockdown.

"There was a taxi organised from Gatwick to Bristol and my daughter picked us up from Bristol."

Mr and Mrs Jones had previously stayed at the Marhaba and Mrs Jones considered booking it again "for a change".

She said: "It was the price difference – there was a lot in it, between £200 and £300.

"We knew we get a good deal in the Belle Vue so I thought what's the point in paying the extra?"

Mrs Webb added: "We would have been on that beach when he walked up, in the second or third row up. We were lucky.

"He (the gunman) went left into that hotel but if he'd gone right it would have been ours."

"Some of those who have been moaning were 20, 30 miles away – they (the authorities) evacuated the hotels on that beach.

"You had off-duty staff going down onto the beach to get people off.

"The Tunisian people are lovely and so friendly."

"The hotel management made an announcement at 9pm that coaches would arrive at midnight and five coaches arrived on time.

"We were probably all up at 5am on the Friday and got home at 12.30pm on Saturday.

"We were exhausted, emotional and so glad to be home."

Last week the Review reported on the experience of Kate Hammond, also of Cinderford, who was in a resort some 15 miles away when the terrorist struck on Friday, June 26.