THE FAMILY of a couple missing in Tunisia are “desperately” trying to find them in the wake of the tourist massacre that left 38 people dead.

The Stocker family have launched a campaign to try and trace grandparents John and Janet who they have not heard from three days after the terrorist attack which left 15 Britons dead – a death toll which Home Secretary Theresa May warned may increase in the coming days.

The couple had flown out to the North African country last Sunday and were due to return home this weekend.

But the Crawley family say since the attack last Friday the couple’s mobile phone has been left unanswered.

Last night family had still not had any news on whether they were safe and their granddaughter said they are “desperately waiting for news”.

The couple are believed to have been staying at the tourist resort at Port El Kantaoui, north of the city of Sousse.

On Friday a lone gunman disguised as a tourist opened fire at westerners on the beach with an assault rifle before stalking his way inside the hotel and continued to shoot.

The couple’s grandson Samuel launched a social media campaign to try to find them, pleading “please help me.”

As The Argus went to press there was still no news of Jan and John’s whereabouts.

Their granddaughter Laura said on Twitter: “My brother @SLStocker91 is doing an amazing job getting #FindJohnStocker trending. Desperately waiting for news.”

Mr Stocker’s son Mark Stocker said: “We’ve spoken to every hospital in Sousse and surrounding areas.

“One of my brothers managed to speak to someone in the hotel – they’ve gone and checked their room but their stuff is still in there.

“It’s just trying to work out what we do. The Foreign Office can’t give us any information yet – that’s the worrying thing.”

In an interview on TV, Mark Stocker added: “They’ve been to Tunisia before, that’s why they went back this year. They chose a different hotel because they loved it there.”

The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack and identified the gunman by his jihadi pseudonym as 22-year-old Abu Yahya al-Qayrawani.

The killing spree was only brought to an end when the terrorist was shot by security forces who found a bomb on his body – investigators are currently hunting an accomplice.

Responding to criticism that the Foreign Office has not been doing enough to keep families updated, Home Secretary Theresa May said the identification process is taking time because people would not have had passports or other documents with them on the beach.

She said: “The process is a complex one. And it is of course imperative that we get it absolutely right for families, and that can sometimes take time.”

Henry Smith, MP for Crawley, said: “I hope for the best positive news although the longer time passes without contact from them the worse the fear becomes.”

The attack has been called the “most significant attack on British people since 7/7” and an act of “evil and brutality” by North Africa minister Tobias Ellwood.

Yesterday people caught up in the massacre started arriving back at Gatwick. The Queen and Prince Philip offered their condolences to families who have lost loved ones saying “our thoughts and prayers are with those of all countries who have been affected”.