'We don't have a monopoly on grief'

Shelley Mather. Photo / Supplied

The parents of Auckland woman Shelley Mather acknowledged the Pike River Coal mine disaster while giving evidence to the inquest into her death in a London suicide bombing in 2005.

Family members of the 52 people who died in the July 7 bombings have given emotional testimonies to the London inquest into their deaths.

In some of the most moving evidence of the morning, the parents of Ms Mather, a 26-year-old tour guide, gave evidence to the inquest by video link from New Zealand and spoke of the "generous, funny, bright and amazing young woman" they had lost.

Her father, John Mather, overcome with emotion, asked if he might also remember the families of the 29 miners who died after an explosion the Pike River Coal mine on November 19, the Guardian newspaper reported.

"We do not have a monopoly on loss and grief and we would like to acknowledge their loved ones who have just started on a journey similar to ours," he said

Four suicide bombers aboard three Tube trains and a bus triggered a series of explosions, and half of the deaths were on the Piccadilly line, where Ms Mather was killed.

Mr Mather and Ms Mather's mother, Kathryn Gilkison, struggled as they spoke about their daughter at the inquest at the Royal Courts of Justice in central London.

They said Ms Mather planned to "circumnavigate the universe", the Independent newspaper reported.

Ms Gilkison said: "She was a kind, generous, friendly, bright and amazing young woman.

"She was a much-loved daughter, sister and friend. Her future could have been anything she had wanted it to be."

Ms Mather had been living in the capital for three years.

When her parents did not hear from her after July 7, they flew from Auckland to London to search for her and found she was a victim of the suicide bombers.

- NZPA