Shocked by the horror into eerie silence

THE first thing that hit you was the silence. One of the world’s noisiest, most vibrant cities had fallen quiet, shocked by the horror unfolding before it.

Only the sudden wail of sirens pierced the eerie spell as the wounded staggered from twisted carriages beneath its streets and the bus wreckage above.

As the No 30 Hackney to Marble Arch double decker turned into Tavistock Square yesterday morning, it was especially crowded. Many of those who died were on the bus because the underground line they usually take was shut for repairs.