London nail bomb victim speaks ahead of anniversary

On the evening of April 30 that year, Jonathan Cash was inside the Admiral Duncan pub, in the heart of London's gay community, when a bomb exploded just feet away from him.

Jonathan - who can be seen in a picture taken in the chaotic aftermath of the bombing - survived the horror.

Aged 30, he suffered a number of injuries to his face, shoulder, hands and legs.

It was the third nail bomb attack inside two weeks in London, killing Andrea Dykes, 27, who was pregnant, Nik Moore, 31, and John Light, 32.

Nearly 150 people were injured in the three bombings, which targeted the capital's gay, black and Bangladeshi communities.

The crimes were carried out by David Copeland, a self-confessed racist and homophobe, who was given six life sentences in 2000.

'The loudest, most alien noise I've ever heard'

Recalling that night, Jonathan told the Telegraph & Argus: "I went into Soho to meet a couple of friends.

"I walked into the Admiral Duncan and I went to order a pint of lager.

The Admiral Duncan pub (Image: Google Street View)

"My foot actually touched what I later found out was the bag he (Copeland) had left."

The Admiral Duncan bomb, a homemade device of fertiliser and nails, exploded at 6.37pm.

"It was the loudest, most alien noise I've ever heard - it ripped through the building," Jonathan said.

"What I can remember is the acrid smell, the sulphurous dust.

"My ears were ringing, my eyes were smarting, the dust filled my nose making it hard to breathe.

"It was horrifying."

Rebuilding life after horror

Jonathan said it took him several years to rebuild his life after the bombings.

"I couldn't leave the house for months afterwards," he recalled.

"It stopped me living for a long time.

"It badly affected my physical and mental health - I was really ill.

"I lost so much weight.

"But with time, with the support around me, and with the decrease of bad memories and pain, I've learned to move on as best as I can.

"That's one important message I want to get across - if you're struggling, whatever it is, please talk to someone you trust."

As he worked to rebuild his life after the atrocities, Jonathan decided to take a masters degree in dramatic writing at the University of Sussex and wrote a play, The First Domino, as part of his course.

This tells the story of a nail bomber and his prison doctor who develop a strange relationship as cat and mouse games begin between them.

"To go through something so horrific and destructive and to then do something so creative, it helped me tremendously," he said.

"I always wanted to write and I succeeded with that, so that's definitely a positive from everything that's happened."

orked with the Bradford Hate Crime Alliance on a podcast about his experiences (Image: Newsquest/Mike Simmonds)

The First Domino premiered at the Brighton Festival Fringe in May 2009 and received that year’s Best Theatrical Performance Award.

It was later adapted for BBC radio and included actor Toby Jones, who recently starred in ITV's Mr Bates vs. The Post Office.

Positive changes since bombings 

In the run-up to the 25th anniversary of the bombings, Jonathan has worked with the Bradford Hate Crime Alliance to record a podcast about his experiences.

Jonathan said he saw some positive changes in society after the bombings.

He said before the attacks, many newspapers and individuals regularly used derogatory terms to describe members of the LGBTQ+ community and ethnic minorities.

"After the bombings, though, I think certain newspapers and people thought 'actually, we shouldn't be describing people like that anymore'," he said.

"Copeland wanted to create division - but I think he failed."

Jonathan said "we've come a long way" but he had concerns about "a rise in hate these days" and called on people to "think carefully" about the language they use.

He also urged people to "call out" any inappropriate comments from those around them - as long as they feel comfortable doing so.

Looking ahead to the 25th anniversary on April 30, Jonathan said he expected he would spend the day with friends - and possibly visit London.

"Obviously I'll be thinking about what happened - but I'll also be thinking about how far I've come since that tragic night," he said.