Bali bombings 20 years on: Loved ones remember Sheffield cousins Laura France and Natalie Perkins
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Laura France and cousin Natalie Perkins were a few weeks into the outward leg of a round-the-world tour, when they were among the Britons killed by the car bomb which ripped apart the Sari club in Bali.
Cousins Natalie Perkins, 20, from Beauchief, and Laura France, 18, from Norfolk Park, left Sheffield at the end of September 2002 on an eight-month adventure. They were reported to have been partying with newly made friends when the bomb detonated on October 12, 2002.
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Natalie had taken extended leave from her job in a city centre shop to travel with Laura, who was on a gap year before going to college. After spending time in Bali, they planned to fly on to New Zealand before crossing the United States.
Natalie's workmate Kirsty Hobson told The Star at the time: “We are all absolutely devastated.”
Laura’s aunt, Christine Register, said the tragedy was still a struggle to come to terms with for the family, and would have like to have seen the anniversary marked nationally. She said: “Several of the family visited their benches at Hutcliffe Wood today to pay their respects. One of her twin brothers visited the memorial in Bali a few weeks ago. I believe that Australia have recognised this occasion but not England.”
A total of 202 people, including 28 Britons, were killed in the incident. The 10th anniversary was marked by a service in London organised by the Foreign Office.