Couple tell of New Zealand earthquake nightmare

Former Newbury couple, Heather and Colin Trayhorne, have spoken about the latest 'quake to hit New Zealand

A FORMER Newbury couple who were caught up in the earthquake which hit New Zealand in September last year have told of their nightmare at the hands of another monster ‘quake on Tuesday, which has left 75 people dead and another 300 missing.

Heather Trayhorne, aged 72, and her husband Colin, aged 74, who emigrated from Newbury in 1976, but still have very strong ties to the area, were just getting their lives back on track following last year's ‘quake, when disaster struck again.

Mrs Trayhorne said that although they made a lucky escape with the majority of their property shaken but not destroyed the last time around, this time the damage was far worse.

Emailing Newburytoday.co.uk on Tuesday, she said: “We are all okay, we have lots of breakages this time and lots more liquifaction come up into our garden, garage and glasshouse. It was pouring down the road again, so we have more of that mess to cope with.

“Oldest grandson Tim was in High Street in the central city, he said it was frightening; buildings were coming down around him.

“We are all feeling shaken and frightened. There are 65 [later confirmed to be 75] people dead and hundreds of people still trapped in high-rise buildings in the central city.

“Hundreds of people have to sleep outside tonight in the parks; some have lost their homes others can't get back to their hotels and homes in the central city.”

The couple live six miles from Christchurch, and Mrs Trayhorne said big aftershocks were occurring every half hour.

At 6.5 on the Richter Scale, this year's quake was smaller in size than last year's, which measured 7.1 and turned most of Christchurch to rubble, although remarkably last year's did not cause any loss of life as it occurred overnight. At the time, Mrs Trayhorne had said it was a “miracle” that nobody had been killed.

However, the ‘quake on Tuesday occurred at around midday - one of the busiest times of day.

The couple said they keep in regular touch with their friends and family in Newbury to let them know how the city is healing.