Majorca Blasts: British tourists vow not to let terrorists wreck their holidays

Wow that is something that the world should emmulate. When the civilians and common man reolves to defeat, thee is no terrorist that can defeat the force of the resolve. Mirror

Defiant Clyde Lester and his family summed up the mood of thousands of Brits in Majorca yesterday by insisting: "The bombers won't spoil my holiday."

Dad-of-four Clyde, speaking after three bombs planted by Eta exploded in the island's capital Palma, said: "We will carry on supporting the island. Of course it is concerning but you just have to be sensible.

"I have to say Brits here have not been saying they want to go home. They have just been getting on with things.

"They are just being more sensible and more aware."

The Association of British Travel Agents said it was not aware of any holiday cancellations in the wake of the Majorca bombings.

It added: "British people tend to be very resilient in these circumstances."

Thomson and First Choice added: "There was no adverse impact on bookings to Majorca.

"Customers are continuing to holiday there as normal and the island is, and continues to be, a popular destination."

Gatwick Airport said: "It's business as usual for us. Everything is running smoothly and we have not heard of anyone cancelling."

Thousands of tourists were evacu-atebefore the first bomb exploded in the toilet of Italian restaurant La Rigoletta at 2.15pm yesterday.

The blast came three hours after a woman from Basque separatists Eta phoned to warn it had planted three bombs on the island.

Another device was found in the toilets of a second restaurant and was detonated at 4pm by bomb disposal experts.

A third small bomb exploded later near Palma's main square. It had been left in a women's toilet in the basement of a commercial centre closed on Sunday.

There were no casualties in any of the blasts. Thousands of frightened locals were also evacuated from the targeted areas.

Clyde, 50, said he, wife Elaine and children Saul, 22, Georgia, 20, Nathan, 17, and Gabriel, 11, had eaten in La Rigoletta.

He added: "We ate in the restaurant that was bombed just three nights ago. It is popular with tourists and always full of Brits."

Clyde, from Barnet, North London, said they had intended to dine out in Palma last night but would now eat in a restaurant in their resort at Bendinat.

He said: "We are now going to eat at a local restaurant just to be safe. And I have said to the kids it's probably not a good idea they go clubbing in Magaluf for the next couple of nights."

It is believed the bomb was left in La Rigoletta in a beach bag that was hidden in the ceiling of the women's toilet.

Witnesses claimed to have seen a woman in her 50s with a large bag in the toilet.

Ronald Lobo, who runs a nearby restaurant, described how police evacuated La Rigoletta then ordered customers out of other bars.

He said: "We were inside and my friend saw at the back that many policemen had come to the Italian restaurant.

"After a while we saw that all the people in the Italian restaurant were evacuating.

"Then the policemen came and all the clients in all the restaurants were turned out."

Eta killed two policemen last month in Majorca after putting a bomb under their car. It also claimed three other bombings in Spain this summer which killed three and injured dozens.

The group has been responsible for more than 820 deaths during its 50-year campaign for an independent Basque homeland.

The Spanish government has drafted in 4,500 extra police officers to patrol Majorca's tourist areas until the end of September.

About five million Britons holiday on the island every year and up to 300 flights from the UK go there every week during the peak summer months.

Spain's King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia were believed to be at their summer residence on Majorca yesterday.

Police have previously foiled Eta attempts to assassinate him.

The Foreign Office said it would continue to monitor the situation in Majorca.

OFFICIAL ADVICE: BE WARY
The advice to British holidaymakers heading for Majorca is: "Don't change your travel plans - but stay on your guard."

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office said it was aware of the latest Eta attacks on the Spanish holiday island but it was not changing its advice to holidaymakers.

The FCO website warns: "There is a high threat from terrorism in Spain. Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers. The Spanish authorities are fully aware of the impact of terrorism and take measures to protect visitors, but you should be vigilant."

It adds that holidaymakers can expect disruptions from real or hoax terror attempts.