NEWSPAPERS around the world carried the image of Bournemouth University graduate Davinia Turrell being led barefoot to safety, her burned and masked face a symbol of the horror of July 7.

One year ago today, families across the UK woke to a perfectly normal Thursday.

By that night, we were haunted by rolling news reports of people trapped inside packed rush hour trains, terrified in the smoky darkness.

The walking wounded spoke in disbelief of what they saw and heard on the day four bombs, three on the tube and one on a double-decker bus, took 52 lives and injured more than 700 more the deadliest bombing in London since World War Two.

Bournemouth East MP Tobias Ellwood, whose brother was killed in the Bali blasts nearly four years ago, said terrorism was always seen as a problem from overseas and as long as we looked after our borders, we would be OK.

We need police to be given powers and support to combat terrorism, but little effort has been focused on the fundamental question, he says.

"Why a Briton wanted to take another Briton's life.

"Why people in certain communities feel so disenfranchised we are not addressing why an individual sets out on the trail to becoming a terrorist."

He spoke in the House of Commons earlier this week calling for a review of what happens when British citizens are killed or affected by terrorism abroad.

US psychiatrist Carole Lieberman, author of a new book entitled Coping with Terrorism, believes many people will be surprised about how they react psychologically and physically to the first anniversary of the London atrocities.

Reminders have been gradually seeping into the media.

"I think there is an unconscious dread of 7/7 this year."

"The threat of terrorism is not like any other threat that we have encountered in our lifetimes because it is so overwhelming.

"When there are other threats, such as car accidents or terminal illnesses, there are measures we can try to take to protect ourselves.

"But terrorism is so random we find ourselves at a loss as to what we can do.

"The threat of global terrorism has been around for many years, but 9/11 woke us all up to how powerful this threat can be and 7/7 made it even worse."

Director of the Bournemouth Islamic Centre Majid Yasin said the government needs to work harder to encourage integration.

"We try to mix people in society, not isolate them. The terrorists come to a community when they see a community in the corner."

He described life as "a little bit hard" for them following the London bombings, but said the situation had improved. "We are British and Muslim. We are part of society and condemn strongly what happened last year again.

"They are not representative of us and I hope that will never happen again."

Minister at Richmond Hill St Andrew's United Reformed Church Martin Ambler said generally speaking there has been a feeling of fear and suspicion.

"People have a lack of trust in one another and anyone who appears to be slightly different in any way, the barriers go up.

"That's a perfectly human and natural reaction to events we get bombarded with each day through the media.

"I think the task of people like myself and faith communities is to break down those barriers and replace that fear with love.

"I am hopeful we will get there; I have to be, that's the Christian message that I have."

  • A Nationwide two-minute silence is being observed today at noon to mark the first anniversary of the bombings.