Man who lost six family members in Nice attack left too traumatised to speak

Three generations of his family were killed in the attack

Hundreds of handwritten tributes are laid on the Promenade des Anglais (Press Association Images)

The Nice terror attack has killed six members from the same family, it has emerged.

Christophe Lyon had travelled to Nice with his wife Veronique, 55, son Mickaël Pellegrini, 28, and his in-laws Francois Locatelli, 82, and Christiane Locatelli, 78.

They had travelled from Longwy in north-eastern France to watch the Bastille Day fireworks display on Nice’s Promenade des Anglais. While there, they met up with Christophe’s parents Gisele, 63, and Germain, 68.

All six of his family members were killed when a 19-tonne lorry was driven into a crowd of spectators. Isis has claimed the driver, Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhel, a 31-year-old Tunisian with a French residence permit, was a follower of the jihadist group.

Michael, Christophe’s son from a previous relationship, taught economics and social studies at the Lycée des Recollets in Longwy. The director of his college had said Michael was “overjoyed” to be celebrating Bastille Day in Nice.

The school’s website states: "The large Recollets family has just lost one of its own. Mickaël Pelligrini, teacher of economics and social science has left us. We join the family in their enormous pain and distress.”

Christiane’s older sister, Jacqueline, told French newspaper Libération that her sister had just sent her a postcard: “She asked about my health. In the end, she was killed by a jerk.”

Christophe used to be in the French army and is now a truck driver. His in-laws had been enjoying a post-retirement holiday and had just arrived in Nice from Marseille.

At least 84 people, including 10 children, were killed in the massacre, with another 202 injured. 52 people, including 30 children, are still in hospital.

France has begun three days of mourning and the French police have arrested seven people in connection with the attack.