Tauranga woman Rebecca Grigson was shocked when she switched on her television early this morning.
News reports were showing scenes of carnage in her home country, England, in the aftermath of a Westminster Bridge terror attack. A man had driven a car through crowds of London pedestrians and attacked others with a knife. Four people were dead, and dozens more injured.
"It was heart-wrenching," Mrs Grigson said. "I was gutted."
She sent messages to friends back home, telling them that her thoughts were with them. But she also felt a sense of helplessness at being unable to do anything more constructive.
Mrs Grigson, who owns the English Pantry food shop in 10th Ave, emigrated to New Zealand 11 years ago. She had lived only an hour's train-ride from London on England's south coast.