DIYWEEK.net

The owners of Green Pastures garden centre have spoken out after being caught up in the middle of last week's terror attack at the Houses of Parliament in Westminster.

James Debbage and Michelle Evans had been visiting the capital from Norwich to receive the East of England Regional Champion Countryside Alliance Award for Farm Enterprise in a ceremony held inside the House of Lords when Khalid Masood launched his attack on Parliament on March 22. Mr Masood drove a car into pedestrians on Westminster bridge before stabbing a policeman.

Mr Debbage and Ms Evans had just been leaving the House of Lords when they heard shots fired up ahead. They were then ushered back inside by police.

Said Mr Debbage: “A policeman turned to us and yelled at the top of his voice, 'run, run away'. There were people in front of us who turned and fled. There was another policeman on one of the turnstiles into Westminster who told us to come in as it was safe.

"Before we knew it we were standing in the cloakroom of the House of Lords. We were locked in and we could hear lots of shouting outside. If we had not taken a selfie as we emerged from Parliament we would have been about at the place where he crashed his car into the railings."

Commenting on Twitter at the time of the attack, the pair posted a picture from inside the House of Lords, saying “seen some crazy scenes today. Been in the Westminster lockdown most of the afternoon.”

Since the attack, the garden centre owners have confirmed that they are fine and that it is all business as usual at the Bergh Apton centre.