Blocks away from the Boston bomb

A SHETLAND family is recovering from the shock of being blocks away from the Boston marathon bomb explosion on Monday.

Lesley Ann Ramsay was in Boston with her parents Jerry and Jean, running the marathon to raise funds for Macmillan Cancer Support.

The 35 year old from Ollaberry had crossed the finishing line 40 minutes before the blast and was back with her parents in a hotel three blocks away when the bomb went off.

Her father said they did not hear the explosion and the first they knew of it was when they received a text from a friend in Glasgow checking to see they were safe.

It was only then they looked outside and heard sirens and saw fire engines racing to the scene.

They were advised to stay in the hotel, but said the city was returning to normal on Tuesday, though the streets remained fairly empty.

They were hoping the airport would be open having been closed for security reasons after the explosion so they could fly home on Wednesday.

Ramsay told BBC Radio Shetland they had originally intended to meet their daughter at the finishing line when she finished, but had been unable to make their way through the crowds.

“It’s a poor atmosphere here, everybody is gutted with what’s happened,” he said.

“The marathon never even got finished. There was supposed to be a whole night of celebration but they have cancelled the whole thing.

“It’s a shock to be so close to yun kind of thing, you aye tink it’s going to be some idder wye.”