Katie Kitchener from Douglas was on holiday in Barcelona with two Argentinian friends when the terror attack took place.

On the afternoon of the attack they were all travelling on the Metro to Plaza Cataluna which joins Las Ramblas.

Katie, who works for Isle of Man Newspapers, recalls: ’They stopped the train and at first we thought someone must have jumped onto the tracks. Then they told us we all had to get off at the next stop.

’I parted company with my friends who were staying at a different hotel and walked back to my hotel.

’All the shutters were down and the streets were empty but I just thought it was siesta time.

’Then when I got back to my hotel the doors were locked. They let me in and then I could connect to WiFi and lots of messages were coming in.

’Then my friends called to say they couldn’t get across the city to their hotel.

’The guys at my hotel let them in but no one was allowed to leave the hotel.

’There was a bar on the roof and we went up there and from there we could see the helicopters circling.

’We were finally allowed to leave the hotel around midnight.

’The next day we went to the memorial in Plaza Cataluna. There were so many people there - from the beginning of Las Ramblas all the way up to the Plaza.

’There was a minute’s silence then everyone was clapping and singing in Catalan.

’There were police everywhere.’

Katie was leaving Barcelona the next day and found a heavy police presence at the airport.

She said: ’I left an hour earlier to allow for extra security. As we were driving in police with guns were pulling cars over and checking the passengers.’