Quake horror: Anguish of Bexhill families

A young Bexhill woman told of being swept out of a hotel window by a 12ft wall of water.

But fears are rising that the world's worst natural disaster in generations had claimed two Bexhill lives.

Travel firm PST said that two Bexhill travellers who had been visiting Sri Lanka were listed as missing in the catastrophe.

No names have been released.

The tidal waves following an underwater earthquake spanned an entire ocean.

The death toll was approaching100,000 yesterday.

Nearly 24 hours of Christmas anxiety ended for Jackie Brittain when her daughter, Claire, 25 - a former air hostess - rang from near Galle, one of the worst-hit areas of Sri Lanka to say: "We're safe!"

For Bexhill nursing home chain owner Jackie, Boxing Day was a "nightmare."

Anguish which began in when the early-riser caught one of the first Sky News bulletins was not eased until she heard her daughter's voice on the telephone answering machine early the following morning.

But it was only when student nurse Claire was able to give more detail that Jackie realised just how narrow an escape Claire and her boyfriend Rob Hopper, from Princes Risborough, had had from a disaster where luck favoured a fortunate few.

Churches are uniting throughout Bexhill to receive donations for the disaster appeal (see page 3).

National charity Christian Aid, which has a strong Sussex branch, has allocated 250,000 from its emergency fund to help the victims of the natural disaster.

"We are distributing 50,000 emergency packs containing blankets, clothing and plastic sheeting for shelters to families in Tamil Nadu, India," said a spokesman.

Readers wishing to donate should visit www.christianaid.org.uk or call 0207 620 4444.

Donations can also be made to the Disasters Emergency Committee, an umbrella group for leading charities, including the British Red Cross and Oxfam.

Its website is at www. dec.org.uk or telephone 0870 60 60 900.

Cash or cheques, made payable to Post Office Ltd, can be donated over the counter at Post Office branches.

The Foreign Office has set up an emergency helpline - 020 7008 0000 - for people worried about missing friends and relatives.