British mum in Lebanon tells her sons bombs ‘are only fireworks’

Mrs al-Dada, a psychology and criminology graduate, said she and her husband had told their boys, aged five and six, that the regular explosions they could hear “were just fireworks”.

Sultan and Saif were no longer able to go to school because of the worsening security situation, she said.

“When I mention leaving they say ‘what about dad?’ and I don’t know what I should say to them.

“It’s a difficult situation, I don’t know what the right thing to do is.

“I’ve never been through anything like this living in Lebanon – it feels so surreal.

“I still can’t wrap my head around anything that’s happening.”