Obituary: Lee Harris

The couple were planning a special dinner on the night of 7 July

A celebration meant Lee Harris was on the Tube with his girlfriend Samantha Badham on the morning of 7 July.

The architect left his bike at home, mindful of a site meeting in Heathrow later that day, and planned to meet his partner after work for a romantic dinner in central London, two days before their 14th anniversary.

Ms Badham left her car at home and they travelled together on the Underground that morning, from their home in Tottenham.

Hours later, after their Tube train exploded near Russell Square, Mr Harris was taken to the Royal Free Hospital with serious head injuries.

The 30-year-old was in a coma for eight days and died on 15 July, a day before his girlfriend's body was pulled from the wreckage of the mangled train.

We will miss them both and will always make them proud of us in what we do, as we were proud of them Families' statement Obituary: Samantha Badham

Lee Harris grew up in Westfields, Hereford, and went to Holmer Primary School and Whitecross High School.

He followed Ms Badham to Hereford Sixth Form College, but he was six years behind and they did not meet until 1991.

Their romance began at Hereford Lads' Club when he was preparing for his Duke of Edinburgh Silver Award and she was on the club's committee.

Joint funeral

In a statement their families said: "They were a devoted couple. We will miss them both and will always make them proud of us in what we do, as we were proud of them."

A joint funeral service was held at St Michael's Church in Ledbury, Ms Badham's home town, on 5 August, with two hearses to be driven side by side to and from the church.

The families made the trip to London to visit the site where the childhood sweethearts were last together.

Relatives hugged each other as they paid a silent farewell in Russell Square on Sunday 24 July.

A former school friend, Lisa Merrick, 31, from Hereford, was on the same train as the couple, two carriages behind them, and survived.