A RUNNER from Healing says he was "lucky" to have finished the Boston Marathon and be on the way back to his hotel when two explosions went off at the finish line, killing three people.
Robin Ruston's family faced an agonising wait to find out if he was safe on Monday night after mobile networks became jammed by participants trying to get hold of their loved ones.
As reported on www.thisisgrimsby.co.uk, two explosions at the marathon finish line killed three people and injured at least 140.
Reports suggest that the small, homemade explosives were packed with ball bearings that caused horrific injuries to the lower limbs of runners and spectators, as they exploded just outside the crowded finish line.
So far ten of the victims are feared to have lost limbs in the worst terror atrocity on US soil since 9/11.
Mr Ruston, 56, said: "I was lucky as I had just got on the subway train. It was a good job I finished when I did, as I was running down the side of the grandstand doing the airplane.
"I did not see a lot as I had left [the scene] but there were lots of police and emergency people all over the area.
"I could not use one of the subway stations as it was shutdown and we all had to go to a different one."
Robin, who has completed 127 marathons over the last 30 years and raised thousands of pounds for charity, is in the US for three weeks and has now flown to Texas.
His daughter Abby, from Cleethorpes, said: "I got a text from my sister at 8.35pm saying to let her know if dad made contact as there had been two explosions at the race.
"I logged onto the internet to see what was happening and instantly felt sick with worry.
"I tried to phone him but it went straight to answerphone, so I left a voicemail and posted messages on Facebook.
"Finally, after what seemed like an agonising wait, I got confirmation at 9.11pm that he was safe and well."
Mr Ruston finished the race about 20 minutes before the first explosion went off.
Abby added: "He finished in a slower time than usual as he had been unwell with a chest infection, so we were worried about the timing of his finish and the explosions."
No arrests have been made since the explosions and organisers of the London Marathon on Sunday are said to be stepping up security.