A COUPLE have given a vivid depiction of the horrific task facing investigators at the scene of London’s terrorist attacks.

Cpts Fred and Elaine Eardley from Bexleyheath Salvation Army Corps have been working side by side with the nation’s most skilled forensic scientists, offering vital emotional support within the police cordons.

They were posted to Russell Square immediately after the attacks, and have been counselling the experts as they work around the clock to clear the scene of bodies and continue the painstaking search for evidence.

Fred said: "These people are dealing with horrendous scenes in a very difficult situation. One of the investigators described it as like being in a loft at the height of the summer for hours on end with dust and debris everywhere.

"It is so awful down there that many of them come back up and feel the need to phone their families to make contact. You just can’t imagine what they are going through.

"These people arrived straight after the attack and most of them haven’t been home since. They are staying in hotels nearby and they just work from first thing in the morning until dusk every day. Our job is to just be there for them.

"While they are working in the tunnels, our food and drink is the only nourishment they get."

Mr and Mrs Eardley are trained counsellors and have attended many disasters both in the UK and abroad. They have also been working at Victoria, helping support victims’ families.

Fred said: "We are mainly there to support the emergency services now but we have also done mortuary duty where we help families to identify the victims.

"When some of the victims were being brought out days after the explosion, you can imagine that this is not pleasant."

Fred and Elaine are on a rolling duty rota along with many other Salvation Army personnel.

Fred added: "We will be there as long as we are needed to offer our help."