A woman whose husband was killed by a shark on their Seychelles honeymoon has said she still hears his terrifying screams whenever she closes her eyes.

Gemma Redmond, 27, has spoken for the first time about the horrific death of her 30-year-old husband, Ian. They had been married for 10 days. Gemma, a teacher, was on the beach watching as he snorkelled in the sea from a speedboat.

"All of a sudden I could hear a 'help'. I thought at first he was sneezing, because when he snorkelled the day before he sneezed into his snorkel and it made the most tremendous noise around the bay.

"And then I heard it again. 'Help' – and the most awful scream, and I can still hear it when I close my eyes."

In an interview with the BBC, she told how her husband was hauled into the speedboat and she ran up as it came ashore.

"His arms were out and he was conscious," she said. "He looked up at me, I looked up at him.

"I could see a mixture in his eyes of fear and of a realisation and relief that he'd seen me and I was there. I reached down my hand and I held his face, and I held his hand to my chest. I said to him: 'You're going to be all right, we're going to look after you, we're going to sort you out.'

"I think I told him I loved him very much, I hope I did. Then a man dragged me away, they were very kind, the men." She said she had been very distressed.

The men took him out of the boat and brought him high up on to the beach where they attempted to resuscitate him.

The couple had married on 7 August and travelled to the islands for a two-week honeymoon. She urged other tourists not to abandon travelling there because of the shark attack.

Gemma said that one of the reasons they had picked the Seychelles for their honeymoon was "the beautiful waters, like an underwater aquarium and the fact that there are not really any dangerous animals".

"It's a one-off accident and I know everyone is doing everything they can to ensure the islands are safe," she said.

The couple, who had been together for nine years, were on the island of Praslin and were having a day on the Anse Lazio beach when Ian was killed. Moments before, Gemma had been telling an islander how perfect their honeymoon had been.

The newlyweds, from Skelmersdale, Lancashire, had enjoyed lunch together at a restaurant before venturing out to the beach.

Gemma said the loss of her husband had left a gap that would never be filled. Ian had always been calm and collected, strong and brave.

Local people are saying the sharks have been attracted by charter ships coming to the islands to avoid Somali pirates. Tourists go fishing and throw the fish overboard, providing an easy source of food for the sharks, it has been claimed.

Gemma's parents, from Dalton, Lancashire, have flown out to the island to be with her.