Scots couple amongst Tunisian massacre victims as death toll of Britons expected to rise

At least 15 Britons were among 39 holidaymakers killed in the beach massacre, with Whitehall sources indicating the death toll of UK nationals could "reach into the high twenties".

Relatives of Scots Billy and Lisa Graham are continuing their agonising wait for news to discover if the Perth couple have been caught up in the beach massacre.

Daughter Holly Graham has failed to hear anything from parents since the tragedy in Sousse.

At her home in Bankfoot, Perthshire, yesterday, one friend said: "We are just here to support her at the moment. We have heard nothing new at all about what's happened. She's not heard anything from them at all. We're very worried."

David Cameron will today update MPs on the death toll in a House of Commons statement on the worst Islamic terror atrocity since the 7/7 attacks in London 10 years ago.

The Foreign Office has warned that further terrorist attacks in Tunisia were possible and urged any Britons remaining in the country to be vigilant.

Ministers in London and Edinburgh held emergency meetings to consider the practicalities of helping families involved in the tragedy, travel advice and security for holidaymakers. Downing Street lowered its flags in respect for the dead.

In Edinburgh, Nicola Sturgeon chaired another meeting of the Scottish Government's Resilience Committee to ensure her administration was doing all it could to help the victims of "this senseless attack" and their families.

Deputy First Minister John Swinney, Justice Secretary Michael Matheson, External Affairs Minister Humza Yousaf, the Solicitor General and senior Police Scotland representatives also took part in the meeting to discuss the ongoing response to the attack and support for Scots affected.

She said the threat level for the UK remained at severe and that counter-terrorism measures were in place to respond to this. The advice from Police Scotland, she said, was to "stay vigilant and alert".

Ms Sturgeon added: "I would like to offer my heartfelt sympathies to everyone who may have lost a loved one in this attack.

"We are prepared for the possibility that there may be Scottish victims among those who have lost their lives, but we have not yet received official confirmation of this."

The McQuire were heavily involved with the Church of Scotland at Abronhill and had only booked their holiday a fortnight before leaving.

Relatives of the couple had told the local minister that authorities were "99.9 per cent sure" they were dead.

Mr McQuire, a captain with the Boys' Brigade, had been due to attend a Royal Garden Party at Edinburgh on his return.

Prayers for the couple were said at the regular Sunday morning service, attended by relatives and friends.

Minister Joyce Keyes said: "I don't think I can make any sense of it at all. My feeling is of numbness.

"They were regular holiday-goers since their retirement and were really looking forward to it."

The family of Mr and Mrs Graham have been contacted by liaison officers from Police Scotland but have not been offered any detailed information about their parents.

Their daughter Holly said: "(Holiday company) Thomson are like they're just reading off a piece of paper. I've had friends phoning on my behalf of me because you can imagine I'm a little bit of an emotional wreck at the moment.

"They said the same. It's like they're just reading off a piece of paper that they've been given to tell people."

A neighbour in Bankfoot said: "The whole village is shocked. We are keeping our fingers crossed for good news, but hope is definitely fading for the Grahams.

"I knew they were away on holiday, but I didn't even know where they were to be honest. It's beyond belief that this could happen to an innocent couple on a holiday."

Kalashnikov-wielding student Seifeddine Rezgui targeted western tourists as he terrorised the popular resort.

His killing spree on the beach at the RIU Imperial Marhaba and the RIU Bellevue ended when he was shot dead by police. A bomb was found on his body.

Across the weekend hundreds of Scots holidaymakers caught up in the terror attacks flew home.

As they streamed through the arrivals terminal at Glasgow airport, many were greeted by friends and family, while some broke down in tears.

One man told of how Rezgui had run past him as he was swimming in a pool near the beach.

Cal Sarwar, 50, a writer on Islamic terrorism, had been holidaying alone and decided to take a dip just before the Sousse tragedy.

He said: "I had earplugs on, swimming away and I pulled my head up out off the water and saw chaos.

"At first I thought I heard fireworks. The guy had a Kalashnikov, he came from the water and had re-loaded several times and by the time I got out of the pool he had gone into a hotel.

"He went past me but I didn't see him, only the devastation afterwards."

Sandra Clason and partner James Erskine, from Bo'Ness, were staying in a hotel just metres from the shootings.

Sandra, 53, said: "At first we thought it was fireworks, then we thought 'is it a bomb'?

"You could hear it getting closer and then....nothing. We were some of the lucky ones, we were just coming down from the hotel at the time."

Last night, the father of Rezgui said he was ashamed of his son's actions.

Hakim Rezgui, who had been questioned by police about the attack him, added that he was sorry for all the lives that had been lost.

Mr Rezgui said: "My god, I am so shocked. I don't know who has contacted him, influenced him or who has put these ideas in his head. He has new friends who got him into this.

"My son had no problem with anyone. But I don't know who has changed his mind, influenced him and who has warped his mind."

Meanwhile, a former head of the British Army has said military support on the ground must be increased in the battle to fight Islamic State (IS).

Lord Dannatt said more must be done to tackle the jihadi force, including looking at sending in allied special forces to destabilise its powerbase.

Asked if enough was being done militarily to defeat IS, the peer told BBC One's Sunday Politics: "The short answer is no. We are not doing enough right across the piste.

"On the military lines we have got to do much more to support those in the region who are fighting Islamist extremists on the ground."