A couple told of their terror after they were caught in hurricane Frances in Florida.

Kay and Peter Harper, of Shepeshall, Basildon, had flown to the US for his son's wedding but instead of the dream day they had all wished for, their perfect holiday was shattered.

The couple were forced to seek refuge in their hotel room for three days while winds of more than 100mph battered at the door.

All the phone lines were down, the hotel ran out of food and they had no idea if their family, who were flying from Glasgow, were even in the country.

Mrs Harper, 46, said: "We didn't even know if the wedding had gone ahead without us.

"It was a police curfew and we were told we would go to jail if we went outside. It was a really scary ordeal.

"All we could see was the winds raging outside. Apparently it was the biggest hurricane they have ever had and was the size of Texas."