Essex families have been making their way home after fleeing the Asian earthquake.
Karena Creevy was on the beach watching her partner swim in the sea when the tidal wave hit Sri Lanka.
Steve Rowe, 45, managed to get out of the water and back to Miss Creevy, 43, before the water struck, and they ran to the safety of their hotel.
Miss Creevy, who grew up in Colchester and attended Alderman Blaxill School, made it back to her home in Hornchurch with Mr Rowe early yesterday.
She called her father, Henry, of Owen Ward Close, Colchester, to let him know she was safe and well.
Mr Rowe said: "It wasn't that bad where we were. It was like an extremely big wave, which came up the beach and through the hotel.
"Only one person got a slight injury. Everyone else was fine."
Another couple who had a lucky escape were John and Bette Allen, who arrived back home in Tiptree from Thailand yesterday.
They lost their money and passports after being caught up in the ordeal. Mrs Allen, 61, has been unable to sleep and is suffering from flashbacks.
The couple were being comforted by their family at their home, in Oak Road, today and were too distressed to talk.
More in today's Evening Gazette
Published Wednesday, December 29, 2004
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