The shooting happened in one of the largest medieval squares in Europe, a busy location which is also a popular tourist destination.

Jonathan Balshaw from Ipswich was there with his Polish girlfriend Dominika. The couple were outside St Mary’s Basilica, in the corner of the square, when the shooting started.

Jonathan said: “We ran down the side of the church and through the side door and hid with several other people until the gunfire died down.

“A lot of shots were fired, more than 20 with it sounding like multiple different firearms – there were two distinctly different noises.”

Caitlin Shasby from Newcastle arrived in Krakow yesterday with her friend Jon for a long weekend.

She said they heard shots from their hotel room but were not sure what was happening until their hotel rang them and told them to “stay in our rooms until further notice”.