An extremist “systematically” gunned down innocent holidaymakers – including two Suffolk men – on a Tunisian beach in 2015, an inquest has heard.

Felixstowe man Philip Heathcote and dad-of-one Stuart Cullen from Lowestoft were among 30 Britons to lose their lives when Seifeddine Rezgui Yacoubi opened fire outside a hotel in Sousse on June 26.

Their families were shown a digital reconstruction of the 2.9km route Rezgui took while carrying out the mass shooting at the formal opening of their inquests yesterday.

The hearings, which are expected to last seven weeks, are being heard by His Honour Judge Loraine-Smith at the Royal Courts of Justice in London.

Samantha Leek QC, counsel to the inquest, told the packed courtroom that Tunisian law enforcement units deliberately delayed their arrival on the scene.

She said a report by Tunisian Judge Akremi had identified failings by local units which could have ended the slaughter before more police arrived.

Rezgui was shot dead by the authorities – but not before he had killed 38 tourists relaxing on the beach.

Mr Heathcote’s wife Alison survived the attack.

She was shot five times by Rezgui and was flown home in a critical but stable condition.

Medics put her in an induced coma, and she has since recovered from her injuries.

Speaking after the attacks, Mrs Heathcote told BBC Radio Suffolk: “After 30 years of living with Philip, him not being here when I wake up, it’s very difficult to cope with sometimes. It’s very lonely sometimes.

She added: “You have to try and keep on living because otherwise they win and you can’t let them win.”

Paying tribute to Mr Cullen, who was a keen Chelsea supporter, his wife Christine and daughter Emma-Jayne Cullen said they had lost a “Dad, husband, best friend and soulmate”.

In a statement, they said: “We were the Three Musketeers. A close-knit family.”

They added: “He lived for his girls and juggled life at home being medically retired from the prison service.”

The hearings are set to continue today as more evidence is read out to the court.