A BARRY woman has spoken of her shock after she narrowly missed two explosions at the end of the Boston Marathon.

Andrea Hurman had finished the race 40 minutes before the first bomb went off, as she met up with her husband Alun roughly two blocks away from the finish line.

Andrea, a member of Penarth and Dinas Runners club, crossed the finish line at 2.15pm local time, with the first explosion reported at about 2.50pm.

She said that the explosions “sounded like thunder”and that immediately afterwards there was “a real sense of panic in the area”.

The explosions left three people dead and more than 150 people injured. Those that died included an eightyear- old boy, a woman aged 29 and a postgraduate student from China. Seventeen people have also been critically wounded. A number of those injured had limbs amputated.

An investigation has been launched into who was behind the explosions, with President Barack Obama condemning them as a terrorist act.

Speaking to us soon after the incident, Andrea, 46, said: “When the bombs went off I had just met my husband in the family meeting area a block or two away from the finish line. The explosions sounded like thunder and that was what we assumed they were.”

Mum-of-two Andrea, who works at Barry library added: “We started to make our way towards our hotel but were turned back by a woman saying there had been explosions.

“It made me quite anxious as I needed to let my children, at home in Barry, know that we were safe.”

Speaking the following day, Andrea added: “Things seem subdued. There is also a high presence of security and many streets closed off.”

London Marathon to start with 30 second silence

London Marathon organisers have announced that there will be a 30 second silence before the start of the elite men’s race and mass start this weekend, and that runners will be encouraged to wear black ribbons ‘in a show of solidarity’ to all those affected in Boston.

Ribbons will be given to all runners when they pick up their race number at the Expo.

Andrea, who completed the marathon in 3.49.58, added that the experience wouldn’t put her off running other prestigious events.

“I don’t think it will really affect my decision to take part in a big event in the future. I was planning on taking my daughter to the London Marathon this weekend and am having doubts about whether to go ahead because she will be so nervous.”

Andrea, of Gibbonsdown Rise, added: “We have both been overwhelmed by the messages of concern from everyone at home and our thoughts just go out to everyone who has been affected.

“We found Boston to be a lovely city. The marathon is such an important event considered to be the most prestigious in the world, so for this to have happened is totally devastating.”