Survival stories of those caught up in Paris attack

People warm up under protective thermal blankets as they gather on a street near the Bataclan concert. Credit: Reuters

Britons caught up in the Paris terror attacks have described how they feared for their lives as the violence unfolded on Friday.

At least 129 people were killed, with more than 350 people injured, 99 critically, in co-ordinated attacks targeting a number of different locations - including a concert venue, cafes and restaurants and the country's national football stadium.

Eighty-nine people were killed during a massacre at Bataclan concert hall.

  • Michael O'Connor

Michael O'Connor, from South Shields, described the scene as a "slaughterhouse" when a gunman fired indiscriminately into the crowd at the Eagles of Death Metal concert at the Bataclan.

He told the BBC there was the chaos inside the venue with "people falling all over the place, people screaming, people just clawing and running and pushing to get away".

  • Video shows moment gunfire breaks out at Paris concert

"I thought I was going to die"

Michael O'Connor pictured with his girlfriend. Credit: Facebook/Michael O'Connor

Mr O'Connor lay on top of his girlfriend Sara to try to protect her as people around them played dead to avoid attracting the attention of the gunmen.

"There were wounded, it was really strange because they looked terribly wounded and they were obviously conscious but they weren't crying out, they were obviously trying to stay quiet so that they didn't attract more gunfire."

People hug on the street near the concert hall following the fatal attacks Credit: Reuters

  • Isobel Bowdery

Isobel Bowdery said she played dead as she lay in the blood of strangers for an hour while terrorists circled "like vultures".

Writing on her Facebook page, the 22-year-old wrote:

Isobel Bowdery has overlaid the colours of the French flag on to her Facebook profile picture. Credit: Facebook/Isobel Bowdery

Isobel's post, that has been shared more than 400,000 times and liked more than one million times, also included a picture of the blood-stained top she had been wearing.

Isobel Bowdery posted a picture of her blood stained top. Credit: Facebook/Isobel Bowdery

The University of Cape Town graduate paid tribute to "heroes" of the nightwho helped her when she thought her partner was dead.

She also said she been shielded by someone during the assault, helped in the road by strangers and consoled by people, making her "believe this world has the potential to be better".

  • Paul Taylor

Paul Taylor, a British comedian living in Paris, was due to go on stage at a club close to one of the restaurants that was attacked when he saw people running towards the venue.

He said they were "crying and not really knowing what was happening, just in shock".

"After asking them what had happened, they said they had seen some people drive up to a restaurant about 100 metres down the road and just shoot people who were sitting down," he told the BBC.

"It was a pretty crazy and scary situation. There were armed police everywhere, sirens, and people in a panic.", he added.