UPDATE: 3.21pm

Delwyn Davies former mayor of Tredegar Town Council, said he was “shocked” to hear the news.
“It’s a sad thing to see a member of the community -who didn’t expect to go on holiday and have this happen,” he said.

“I knew a few people in the nursing home and they are gutted.
“My condolences to the family, friends and her workmates.

“It’s going to affect the community in a big way.

“For me I was a shock when I heard-I don’t know her personally but remember vaguely seeing her walking around.”

 

 

UPDATE: 2.55pm

Another resident Caroline Jones of Waun Llwyn Crescent said: “She was a friendly and bubbly person and knew so many people in the community so everyone was shocked to learn that it was her.

“My thoughts are with the family at this sad time.”

UPDATE: 1.18pm

Blackwood residents chatting to our reporter Hayley Mills who is in the community today said they were shocked to hear the news.

 Mary Roberts who lived on Apollo Way in Blackwood for the last 15 years said: “My mother was at Highfields and was well looked after, so I was very upset to learn that a lady was involved in such an incident.
“To think that people went on holiday and something so tragic has happened.

“I just feel for the family and for everyone at Highfields who must be devastated at the news.”

A resident who wishes to remain anonymous added: “I t has shocked the local community as she was such a lovely lady.”

UPDATE: 12.02pm

Caerphilly Mayor Cllr Leon Gardiner said the whole of the valley is in a sad state. “Our sympathy and thoughts are with the family,” he said.

“I speak on behalf of Caerphilly County Borough Council and all of the people who live in the area who are saddened on hearing about it.

“I didn’t know her personally but my aunt stayed in the nursing home where she worked.

“My thoughts go out to the family and the people who worked with her all these years.

“I give them my support as a councillor and to the family I give my deepest thoughts.”

UPDATE: 12.02pm

The deputy leader of Caerphilly council Cllr David Poole said: “On behalf of all at Caerphilly County Borough Council, our thoughts and sympathies are very much with the families and friends of all those affected by this terrible tragedy. Of course, for us these events have been brought even closer to home.

"Blackwood is a strong, tight-knit community and I have no doubt that our whole community will pull together and show their unrelenting support for the family, friends and those close to Trudy Jones during this time”.

UPDATE: 11.27am

Dave Jones the former husband of Trudy Jones said he is "devastated" over the killing of Trudy Jones.

Mr Jones who works and D&E Motors in Blackwood said they got married in Barbados and met Simon Cowell together. He said he has so many photos of the pair together and despite divorcing, they became ‘best friends’ and talk regularly.

UPDATE: 11.23am

Newsquest worker Amanda Tucker was forced to cancel her family holiday to Tunisia on July 12 following the attack. Ms Tucker was due to stay at the same resort where a Welsh couple got engaged during the atrocity on Friday but decided to cancel her whole holiday , citing it was ‘not worth the risk.’

“I was offered a free of charge transfer [by Thomson] to have a different holiday but we feel really nervous so we think we’re going to cancel and get a full refund,” she said. “We were going to stay really close by [to the attack] at the Royal Kenz Hotel the one where the Welsh couple got engaged.

“I have been to Tunisia before and it was lovely. “My cousin is over there at the moment on holiday in a different part of Tunisia and he said he is on edge. “Everyone is on edge. It is just so sad.”

UPDATE: 11.13am

Paula Pewtner, who works at the South Wales Argus has been friends with Ms Jones since they were 15 years old and only found out what happened after a friend saw Ms Jones name on Sky news and text her.

Ms Pewtner said she was a "lovely girl".  “She was funny Trudy,” she said. “She always put others before herself and she would always be there.

“I grew up with her and her sister, we went to school together from when we were 15 years old at Blackwood Comprehensive.

“She was always full of life and full of fun-she always wanted a laugh. She was a big family person and was the youngest of four.

“She was a fun girl and never did anything bad to anybody. She had such a nice family.”

UPDATE: 10.45am

Highfields Nursing home manager Shawkat Ilahi who worked with Ms Jones for the last three years said she had been "looking forward to the holiday for ages".

He added: “We are meeting with all the staff, residents and residents families today to provide support.

“We are meeting up together to discuss what we are going to do on the future and how we’re going to support the family.
He said he had worked with her for a few years and she was "full of life", adding she was "like a bottle of pop" and had a joke for everyone.

“She was always singing and was always on the go. She would sing different songs according to resident’s choice.

“She was the activities coordinator for the residents and would take them out.

He said she was well thought of and that all the residents were in shock.

“It is terrible –we were expecting her to be back tomorrow.

“She was looking forward to this holiday; I think she had been to Tunisia before.”

UPDATE: 8.10am

TRUDY Jones, the Blackwood woman who was among those murdered in a terrorist attack on a Tunisian beach resort, has been described as the "rock" of her family.

In a statement issued through Gwent Police, her family said: 

“Our mother of all people didn’t deserve this, such a caring person who put everyone else before herself.

"Always willing to help others, she loved everyone around her including all of the people she cared for at work.

"She’ll be missed by so many people. She was the rock of our family and kept us all going.

"None of us have a clue how we’re going to cope without her. We are all devastated and would appreciate if everyone can respect our privacy. Please leave us grieve our beautiful mother”.

Ms Jones was a mother of four on holiday with friends.

The 51-year-old , who worked at the Highfields Care Home in Blackwood, was at the beach resort in Sousse when the gunman struck.

Around 30 Britons are feared dead following the attack on Friday.

Dozens of tributes have been made to Ms Jones, including many via social media. A number of these have come through the South Wales Argus Facebook page.

Among them is a message from Fay Kavanagh, reading: "R.i.p my lovely cousin u will be missed also sending my condolences to my auntie Ruth and all my other cousins and family xx"

Linda Box wrote: "I'm so sorry to hear this terrible news thoughts go out to her family and friends so sad xx"

Karen Bryce wrote: "RIP so, so very sad and tragic. Thoughts to all family of Trudy and everyone else killed in this mindless act x"

And Julia Gibbons wrote: "RIP Trudy and to all the other families involved in this awful tragedy"

Ms Jones had been due to fly home yesterday to resume work tomorrow at the care home, where she was an activity coordinator.

Thirty-eight people were killed and 39 were wounded in the attack, carried out by Seifeddine Rezgui, a 23-year-old Tunisian aviation student.