7/7 inquest sees anger at verdicts

GRIEVING families of 7/7 terror bomb victims hit out at bungling emergency services yesterday - after a coroner CLEARED the 999 teams of blame for any of the 52 deaths.

Relatives told of their anger and despair at the "chaos and inefficiency" revealed in five months of inquest evidence about the Tube and bus atrocities.
Some even demanded a public inquiry.
Marie Fatayi-Williams, whose son Anthony, 26, died when the No 30 bus was blown up in London's Tavistock Square, said: "This is not the end, it's just the beginning.

Verdict ... Lady Justice Hallett

"There are issues that still need to be known."
Firemen went to the wrong places, medics arrived up to an hour late and radios didn't work.
Rescuers refused to enter Tube tunnels because they weren't sure the power was off.
But the Coroner, Lady Justice Hallett, said of the victims: "I am satisfied on the balance of probabilities that each of them would have died whatever time the emergency services reached and rescued them."
She recorded a verdict of unlawful killing on the 52 - 17 of whom did not die instantly.

Inquest ... some of those who died in the 7/7 bombings

And she made nine recommendations to improve emergency procedures.
Police, fire, ambulance and Underground chiefs came under fire during the £4.5 million hearings at the High Court.

Tragic ... 52 were killed in the terror attacks

But Lady Justice Hallett also paid tribute to the bravery and care shown by 999 teams.
Families heard harrowing evidence about the carnage left by the four suicide bombs on July 7 2005.

Victim ... Anne Moffat

The parents of Carrie Taylor, 24, who died 30 minutes after her train was blown up at Aldgate, hit out at the delays.
Dad John Taylor said: "There were 17 victims probably still alive who could have been saved. Carrie might not have survived but she should have had the chance - so should the others".
Security manager Mr Taylor, of Billericay, Essex, said: "Things did not go right."
His wife June, 63, broke down in tears and said: "Nobody seems to care about the British people who have a right to be protected." Lady Justice Hallett said finance officer Carrie's injuries were so serious it was "unlikely she would have survived whatever time she was extricated from the carriage".
The grief of Rosemary Mayes, 67, was typical. Her son James, 28, died at King's Cross.

Edgeware Road ... six dead

Rosemary, of Stevenage, Herts, said outside the court: "We were sort of hoping that James's name was not read out, that it was not on the list.
"Of course, every time the list is read out, the reality that he is dead hits us."
London Ambulance Service, which took an hour to get to the bus bomb scene, apologised.

King's Cross ... 26 dead

But chief executive Peter Bradley said: "I am pleased the Coroner has recognised the bravery, care and treatment the Service gave on the day."
London Fire Brigade commissioner Ron Dobson thanked his staff for their "dedication, hard work and commitment."
The Corner halted inquests on bombers Mohammed Sidique Khan, 30, Shehzad Tanweer, 22, Hasib Hussain, 18, and Jermaine Lindsay, 19, because there had been no representation from the families.