Ex-Holby City actress Laila Rouass live tweets while ‘hiding in a restaurant freezer’ as guns shots are fired around her during Barcelona terror attack

  • Former Holby City actress Laila Rouass, 46, caught up in Barcelona terror attack
  • Thirteen people are believed to have been killed and more than a 100 injured
  • Mrs Rouass wife of snooker star Ronnie O'Sullivan reported the attack via Twitter
  • The actress is now understood to be safe and has thanked restaurant staff

By Rod Ardehali For Mailonline

Published: | Updated:

Actress Laila Rouass has dramatically live tweeted her experience ‘hiding in a restaurant freezer' after being caught up in the horrific terrorist attack in Barcelona. 

The wife of snooker star Ronnie O'Sullivan, 46, took to Twitter amid the brutal terror attack which is believed to have claimed the lives of 13 people and wounded more than 100 others.

Tweeting directly in the middle of the attack, the former Holby City star said: 'In the middle of the attack. Hiding in a restaurant freezer. Happened so fast. Praying for the safety of everyone here x.' 

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Former Holby City actress Laila Rouass, 46, dramatically live tweeted her experience ‘hiding in a restaurant freezer' after being caught up in the horrific terrorist attack in Barcelona

Former Holby City actress Laila Rouass, 46, dramatically live tweeted her experience ‘hiding in a restaurant freezer' after being caught up in the horrific terrorist attack in Barcelona

The wife of snooker star Ronnie O'Sullivan, 46, took to Twitter amid the brutal terror attack which has believed to have claimed the lives of 13 people and wounded 100 others

The wife of snooker star Ronnie O'Sullivan, 46, took to Twitter amid the brutal terror attack which has believed to have claimed the lives of 13 people and wounded 100 others

And in a later tweet, the star, from Stepney in London, posted: 'Gunshots just heard. Armed police running down the street looking for someone.' 

In a series of further tweets she added: 'The whole of Las Ramblas and surrounding roads in lock down with armed police everywhere,' and 'hearing one person has been shot.'

Friend of Mrs Rouass and fellow actor Douglas Henshall tweeted a message of support to the former Holby City star.

He said: 'F*** sake Laila stay safe. X'.

Local media are reporting that Driss Oukabir, named earlier by police as a suspect, has been arrested.

Horrifying footage recorded at the scene shows dozens of victims lying injured on the pavement.

Police have confirmed that more than 100 people are hurt - 10 understood to be critical - with Catalonia's interior minister Joaquim Forn saying it is 'very possible' that the number of dead will rise because of the 'very serious' wounds to victims.

Gunfire was heard at the Corte Ingles store in the area after police announced a 'massive crash' in Las Ramblas. 

Fellow actor Ben Richards also tweeted his 'buddy' during the incident

Tweeting directly in the middle of the attack, the former Holby City star said: 'Happened so fast. Praying for the safety of everyone here x.'

 The actress sent a series of tweets from the restaurant following the attack 

 The actress sent a series of tweets from the restaurant following the attack 

 'Another car ploughed into police I am being told' said Mrs Rouass from her hiding location

 'Another car ploughed into police I am being told' said Mrs Rouass from her hiding location

Pictured: People scramble to safety following the horrific attack

In a series of further tweets she added: 'The whole of Las Ramblas and surrounding roads in lock down with armed police everywhere,' and 'hearing one person has been shot dead'

 

Horrifying footage recorded at the scene shows dozens of victims lying injured on the pavement

Police have confirmed that 80 people are hurt, with Catalonia's interior minister Joaquim Forn saying it is 'very possible' that the number of dead will rise because of the 'very serious' wounds to victims 

Tweeting directly in the middle of the Barcelona attack, the Holby City star added: 'Happened so fast. Praying for the safety of everyone here x'

Police have confirmed that 100 people are hurt, with Catalonia's interior minister Joaquim Forn saying it is 'very possible' that the number of dead will rise because of the 'very serious' wounds to victims 

Police have confirmed that 100 people are hurt, with Catalonia's interior minister Joaquim Forn saying it is 'very possible' that the number of dead will rise because of the 'very serious' wounds to victims 

Officers were said to have negotiated with an attacker in a Turkish restaurant where hostages were being held.

A second van was found parked in the town of Vic some 50 miles north of Barcelona after police said it could have been used as a getaway vehicle.

The civil guard has said the van used in the attack was rented by Oukabir in the town of Santa Perpetua de la Mogada. 

In a series of further tweets she added: 'The whole of Las Ramblas and surrounding roads in lock down with armed police everywhere,' and 'hearing one person has been shot dead'

Friend of Mrs Rouass and fellow actor Douglas Henshall tweeted a message of support to the former Holby City star

Fellow actor Ben Richards also tweeted his 'buddy' during the incident

Driss Oukabir (pictured) has been arrested by police, according to local media reports. The Guardia Civil previously said the van used in the attack was rented by Oukabir in the town of Santa Perpetua de la Mogada

A witness called Angel said he had seen the attacker close up and described him as 'a young man, maximum 25 years old, chestnut brown hair and skinny.'

Others described him as about 5ft 6in tall and wearing a blue and white striped top.

Another witness, Isaac, said: 'The person was accelerating. He mounted the pavement to run people over. We saw the van passing by running people over at 50 miles an hour. It was as if it was driving through a field of corn.'

A taxi driver told Catalan TV station TV3: 'The van was doing zigzags knocking over everyone he could. It was shocking.'

Steve Garrett was in a nearby market and sheltered in a bakery with several others after streams of people ran inside.

Pictured: People leave a fastfood with hands up as asked by policemen after a van ploughed into the crowd

Pictured: People scramble to safety following the horrific attack

One member of the group, who took refuge with him, said she had heard gunshots after the incident. 

Mr Garrett told the BBC: 'A very large number of people ran into the market area in a big kind of way, lots of screaming, lots of shouting.

'The security guards immediately responded. We ran into the bakery with four or five other people and ran straight upstairs and hunkered down whilst an enormous wave of people went through the market.

'Obviously coming from England it was reminding me a great deal of what happened in London, so we were very concerned about what might be going on next.

'The lady that was with us said she heard some gunshots.'

Mr Garrett said a 'second wave' of people then entered the market, followed by armed police.

He said: 'They seemed to sweep through the market area. They seemed to be looking for someone. They were going very carefully, very cautiously, stall to stall.' 

Tweeting directly in the middle of the attack, the former Holby City star said: 'Happened so fast. Praying for the safety of everyone here x.'

Pictured: People leave a fastfood with hands up as asked by policemen after a van ploughed into the crowd

 

 

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