Polish Pizza Gun Victim 'Recovering' After Surgery

On the same day as the bodies of the two soldiers shot dead in Antrim last weekend were being flown back home to England, it was announced that one of the pizza delivery men seriously injured by Real IRA gunmen during the same deadly attack is recovering well.

The Polish national - known as Marcin - was one of two delivery men targeted at the same time as dissident republicans opened fire at Massereene Army barracks in Antrim. He was tended by paramedics and then rushed into the operating theatre at the nearby Antrim Area Hospital.

In a statement by his family they said: "We wish to express deep gratitude to the medical staff for all the care and attention given to Marcin which has literally saved his life.

"His condition is still serious but we are happy to say that he is recovering well; it is hoped that he will be back to full health in the near future."

The family also sent a message of sincere sympathy to the two murdered soldiers' loved ones and to the family of PSNI Constable Stephen Carroll who was shot dead in Craigavon on Monday night.

"Our thoughts, prayers and good wishes are with them and with all those who were injured in or affected by these tragic events," they said.

On Thursday too, the two murdered soldiers' coffins were carried past ranks of their own regiment's troops at Massereene in a poignant 'final salute' ahead of departure to their family homes in Great Britain.

Mark Quinsey (23) and Patrick Azimkar (21) were gunned down by the Real IRA and died in a hail of 60 bullets as they were taking delivery of a pizza at the Army base on Saturday night.

Friends and family of both young men visited the scene of the shootings accompanied by senior personnel from 38 Engineer Regiment before the bodies were saluted and then flown home.

Today (Friday), thousands then turned out for the funeral of PSNI Constable Stephen Carroll, 48, who was shot while on duty in Craigavon on Monday.

The streets outside St Therese Church in his hometown of Banbridge, Co Down, where funeral mass was held were packed with mourners.

Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde struggled to hold back tears as he told mourners: "We promise we will not forget him," moving the congregation to applaud him as he left the altar.

The cortege had earlier left Constable Carroll's home, led by a lone piper and flanked by police officers.

Constable Carroll is the first Police Service of Northern Ireland member to be killed in a terrorist action.

(BMcC/JM)