Crisis worker on harrowing toll of evacuation race

ASCOT working as part of the team in the UK Government crisis centre helping evacuate thousands from Afghanistan said it was a “harrowing” task.

- ANNIE BROWN

Gerry McGurk said it had been a race against time.

He said: “It was not uncommon for the Taliban to be literally banging on the door while someone was calling us.

“There were also people showing us bruises from being beaten as they tried to get through the checkpoints.”

Gerry, originally from Stirling, said some of the staff had struggled with their own emotions in their desperation to help.