A South Essex family today told how they were winched to safety by a police helicopter as flash floods devastated a tourist resort in Cornwall.

Alan and Melanie Graham and their three daughters, were plucked from the roof of a visitors' centre after water travelling at 40mph tore through the fishing village of Boscastle last night.

Mr Graham, 39, of Albion Road, Benfleet, said: "It was a disaster."

He and Melanie, 38, their twins Charlotte and Emily, eight, and daughter Rebecca, six, and another group were in the centre's attic. They were forced on to the roof after water started pouring in through a manhole cover.

Mr Graham, an engineer with Basildon-based Visteon UK, said: "Half the visitors' centre just disintegrated because of the amount of trees and cars hitting it.

"If the remaining bit of the building went I don't think I would be talking to you right now.

"We had no choice but to go up to the attic - there was nowhere else we could go."

The family had driven to Cornwall in their Ford Galaxy, towing a caravan.

He said: "I couldn't really believe it last night when I saw on the news my car being swept away."

Published Tuesday August 17, 2004

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