Cheryl Mellor, from Cornwall, also played dead after her husband was shot

He was so close she heard him reloading as she lay motionless in the sand

Angela Evans told how she played dead as he was 'inches' away from her

Many have spoken of playing dead in a bid to avoid the gunman's attention

A survivor of the massacre in Tunisia has revealed local hotel staff members formed a human shield on the beach in a heroic bid to protect tourists from the rampaging gunman.

John Yeoman, 46, said Muslim staff members from the Bellevue Hotel told the gunman he would have to kill them first as they formed a human barricade between the shooter and Western tourists.

The chain of bodies can be seen in images taken of killer Seifeddine Rezgui which emerged yesterday - about a dozen men stand side-by-side as the gunman, pictured in the foreground, marches away from them carrying his Kalashnikov.

It is just one of many incredible tales of survival to emerge in the aftermath of the deadly attack in which British survivors have described playing dead as Rezgui 'executed' wounded tourists.

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Gunman Seifeddine Rezgui can be seen wandering away from a group of local men who have formed a human chain to protect tourists on a neighbouring beach

Mr Yeoman, from Kettering, was among the first group of Britons to be repatriated from the area yesterday.

He told MailOnline staff formed a shield and started yelling at the gunman: 'You must kill us first.'

DALAI LAMA CONDEMNS ISIS ACTS AS 'UNTHINKABLE' The Dalai Lama made an emotional appeal for peace today as he celebrated his 80th birthday with a rare appearance at Glastonbury. Addressing crowds who had gathered at the Stone Circle, the Tibetan spiritual leader said: ''A lot of problems we are experiencing are our own creations. Violence is being created this very moment in Syria, Iraq and Nigeria. 'Humans killing each other in the name of religious faith. Unthinkable. 'There is nothing wrong with religious beliefs but some supporters of religions have a lack of moral principle and conviction. 'Yes, I'm Buddhist and Asian and I am his holiness the Dalai Lama but we are the same human being.' He added: 'There is no basis to kill. I love my own life. Everyone loves their own life. 'Everyone has the right to live happily. Once you have a firm conviction in that then suddenly man-made problems will reduce.' Advertisement

The gunman, who openly declared he was targeting Western tourists during the killing spree, was also told: 'You will have to get past us, but we're Muslim.

'Basically, the staff put themselves in the way,' he said. 'The staff from the Bellevue were amazing, really good.'

Mr Yeoman said he was told what happened by another survivor at Manchester Airport after the two were among those repatriated yesterday.

Meanwhile, British survivors have described how they played dead in a desperate bid to avoid being 'finished off' by the gunman as he indiscriminately shot down dozens of tourists.

Cheryl Mellor, 55, told of how she lay motionless on the beach just moments after seeing her husband killed and having been shot herself.

Rezgui had earlier landed on the shore on a boat dressed as a tourist, before pulling out an assault rifle hidden in a parasol.

He then stormed the beach, gunning down tourists and throwing hand grenades into the crowds. In all, 38 people were killed, with the atrocity claiming the lives of 15 Britons - although that figure may yet rise.

The mother-of-two from Bodmin, Cornwall, told The Sunday Mirror she and her husband Stephen initially tried to flee but instead came face-to-face with Rezgui as he aimed his gun at them.

Amidst a hail of gunfire, her hand was almost completely shot off. Bullet fragments and debris tore her arm to pieces, severing two arteries - and when she looked down, her husband lay motionless on the ground.

Although his death has yet to be confirmed, she believes he was killed.

She told the paper: 'Someone came over and said they would move me but the gunfire started up again so I just lay there.

'I just played dead. I was absolutely terrified. When the gunfire stopped I kept hearing foreign voices but I just played dead.'

Angela Evans, a great-grandmother from Norfolk, also revealed she pretended to be dead when Rezgui came within 'inches' of her as he reloaded his gun.

Describing the terrifying ordeal, the 67-year-old told The Sunday Express she and her neighbour Belda Butauskiere, 49, were relaxing on sunbeds when they heard what sounded like firecrackers.

When they looked up towards the noise, they saw Rezgui shooting down tourists - before approaching the wounded and executing them.

Cheryl Mellor (pictured) played dead on the Tunisian beach after having seen her husband gunned down

Mrs Mellor is visited by politician Mohamed Nasser in her hosptial bed in images broadcast on local TV

FATHER WHO USED HIMSELF AS A HUMAN SHIELD RETURNS TO UK A HERO Father-of-two Matthew James and his fiance Saera Wilson pictured together as he lies in his hospital bed The gas engineer has been hailed as a hero after he was shot three times when he used himself as a human shield to protect his fiance A heroic father shot three times when he used himself as a human shield to save his fiance has been flown back home to Britain to see his children. Gas engineer Matthew James, 30, is recovering in hospital after following his brave attempt to save the life of Saera Wilson. Ms Wilson fled the beach as he was shot, saying: 'Tell our children that their daddy loves them.' Today he was back in the UK to see their children - Tegan, six, and 14-month-old Kaden. His mother Kathryn Matthews said it was the 'most fantastic feeling' seeing Ms Wilson step off the plane while her son was carried on a stretcher behind her. She said: 'He and Saera are now on home turf. He's in good spirits and is getting the very best of care. 'So proud of him, after being the first to be shot and making sure Saera got to safety. He held the hand of an elderly gent who lay dying next to him, totally overwhelmed by it all.' She said her son was now looking forward to seeing Tegan and Kaden - who were being looked after by their grandparents in Pontypridd, South Wales. The family also thanked people who have donated nearly £10,000 to a Facebook fund set up for Matthew by fellow gas engineers. Advertisement

Rita Williams pictured wearing her pink hat, which has a hole where the bullet came perilously close to her head

Christine Callaghan pictured in her hospital bed having survived the attack – after a bullet ricocheted off a sunglasses case in a beach bag she was carrying and avoided causing her fatal injuries

Face of a killer: This is the man ISIS claim carry out the attack, named by them as Abu Yahya Al Qayrawani

Predator: Assault rifle in hand, the gunman roams the streets of the popular holiday resort town Sousse where he and possible accomplices killed at least 38 people

THE GUNMAN'S INNOCENT VICTIMS Dead Missing Injured BRITISH Carly Lovett, 24 John Stocker Christine Callaghan, 62 Adrian Evans, 49

Janet Stocker Tony Callaghan, 52 Joel Richards, 19 Roy Fisher Matthew Jones, 30 Charles Evans, 78 Angela Fisher Ross Thompson, 21 Suzanne Davy, 44 John Welch, 74 Rebecca Smith, 22 Scott Chalkley, 42 Eileen Swannack, 70 Cheryl Mellor, 55 Bruce Wilkinson, 72 Billy Graham, 51 Owen Richards, 16 Lisa Burbidge, 60s Lisa Graham, 50 Ann McQuire, 63 Denis Thwaites, 70 James McQuire, 66 Elaine Thwaites, 69 Claire Windass, 52 Stephen Mellor Trudy Jones IRISH Lorna Carty Laurence Hayes Marina Hayes EUROPE Lana Lemaire, Belgium

Tripping over in their attempts to flee, they decided to lie flat in the sand and play dead.

She said: 'His feet were just inches from my head. Then I heard him change the magazine in his gun.

'At this point I began to say a prayer in my head. I thought we were next and he was going to finish us off.'

Rezgui was then distracted by noises further down the beach and wandered off to continue his bloody rampage. The two waited a few minutes before fleeing to a nearby hotel.

In yet another remarkable tale of survival, 76-year-old Rita Williams, from Maesteg, South Wales, was left with a hole in her hat after a bullet came within millimetres of her head.

She told The Sun the force of the bullet knocked her over but her hat saved her life.

'If I didn't have the hat on I think the bullet would have hit me. It literally skirted past my skull.'

Meanwhile, Foreign Office Minister Tobias Ellwood has warned the UK death toll is likely to rise.

The politician, who lost his brother Jon in the 2002 Bali bombing, said it was ‘the most significant terrorist attack on the British people’ since the London 7/7 bombings in 2005.

Location: The terrorist attack took place in the popular holiday destination of Sousse in the north of Tunisia

Bodies lie on a beach in Sousse after gunmen opened fire on tourists at two hotels, killing at least 38 people

Deceased: Tunisian lifeguards stand next to a covered body in the resort town of Sousse, which has been brought to its knees following a merciless terrorist attack

The attack started at about noon on Friday when the 23-year-old gunman, who had been posing as a swimmer, started shooting.

Leaving the beach, where he targeted British victims, he reloaded his rifle and walked purposefully into the Imperial Marhaba and continued shoot. Witnesses said he also threw a number of grenades, both inside and outside the hotel.

While not thought to have a criminal record, the gunman was known to the authorities for his ‘low-key radical behaviour’, according to Tunisian Interior Ministry source.

Up to 2,500 more people could return to the UK from Tunisia today as part of holiday firms' efforts to get those on holiday at the beach resort home as soon as possible.

Tunisian survivors' act of defiance: Couple become engaged hours after escaping beach slaughter

A young couple who escaped the Tunisian beach terror got engaged just hours later in an heartwarming act of defiance against the ISIS gunman.

Survivor Ben Milton proposed to girlfriend Shelley Hay on the night of the shooting on her 25th birthday after pair fled for the lives.

The 24-year-old civil servant, from Cardiff, said: 'I wanted to show my love for Shelley and I didn't want the terrorists to win.

Young couple Ben Milton and Shelley Hay, pictured together on holiday, got engaged just hours after the attack in a show of defiance against the ISIS gunman

'I thought: "Screw them - they are not going to stop us." It was an act of defiance against what happened.'

Ms Hay showed off her new engagment ring saying: 'Our love is more important than their hate.'

She admitted she was still shaking with fear after escaping the gunman on the beach - and had no idea Ben was about to pop the question.

She said: 'I knew there might be a surprise because it was my birthday. But I thought that would all be over because of what happened.

'I was gobsmacked when Ben proposed. It was a day we will never, ever forget. It was very surreal.'

Ms Hay, assistant manager of a children's play centre, told how she saw sand flying up as shots peppered the beach.

She said: 'I thought it was fireworks but then saw all the sand going up. I realised it was bullets hitting the beach.'

Mr Milton was reading a book just yards away - and grabbed Shelley to flee the beach.

He said: 'I just grabbed our belongings and bags and just ran with Shelley. It was a stampede of people up a narrow path. The hotel gates were closing but we made it.'

Shelley Hay, 25, grins as she poses with her engagement ring. She said it showed her 'love was more important' than the terrorists' hate

Meanwhile, Britain's Foreign Office has updated its travel advice to Tunisia, urging vigilance and warning that further terrorist attacks in the North African nation's tourist resorts are possible.

The ministry is warning Sunday against all travel to Tunisia's militarized southern zone, all travel anywhere within three miles of Tunisia's border with Libya and all travel to the country's Chaambi Mountain national park area.

It also advised against all but essential travel to much of Tunisia's south and along its western border with Algeria.