Former Birmingham City player Denis Thwaites and wife among Tunisia dead
A former Birmingham City player and his wife have been confirmed as among the victims of the Tunisia terror attack.
Denis Thwaites, 70, and his wife Elaine, 69, who lived in Blackpool, texted their family on Wednesday to say they had arrived safely at the Imperial Marhaba Hotel in Sousse.
Following the attack by student Seifeddine Rezgui, 23, the couple were at first mistakenly reported to be recovering in hospital.
But today MP for Blackpool North Paul Maynard confirmed to the Commons that two of his constituents had died in the attack, while Blackpool South MP Gordon Marsden tweeted:
This evening Birmingham City tweeted:
Mr Thwaites was born in Stockton-on-Tees, and his wife in Kings Heath, Birmingham. He first appeared in Birmingham City's first team in 1961, aged 16,and turned professional in 1962, playing a number of First Division matches in the 1962–63 season.
But he never became a regular first-team player, and suffered from nerves while playing. His last appearance for the first team came in the 1971–72 season, and he retired from professional football in 1972, aged 27.
Friends of the Thwaites have posted tributes to the couple on Facebook.
Jilly Cadd wrote: "My sincere condolences to the family... Words fail me... May they rest in peace.... So very sorry."
Jennifer Sandhu said: "How awful. Thoughts are with the family. Terrible news."
Thirty-eight people were killed at the beach resort in Sousse when Rezgui opened fire with a Kalashnikov on Friday and at least 15 have been confirmed to be British, with the number expected to rise.
