A COUPLE who sold their home in Bury to go travelling the world have been caught up in the catastrophic Asian earthquake.

The families of James Richards and Samantha Wilson faced a sleepless 72-hours before they heard the couple were safe, although they have yet to speak to them in person.

It is now estimated up to 100,000 people have died in the tsunami disaster which started when a violent earthquake under the sea near northern Indonesia sent a huge wave crashing into coastal areas across south and east Asia, devastating parts of Thailand, India, Sri Lanka, Somalia and the Maldives.

James and Samantha were staying at Havelock, part of the Andaman Islands, when the tidal wave battered down,

Members of the diving school on Havelock managed to get off the island and telephoned James' parents Keith and Ann, in Irwell Vale, and Samanthas parents Josephine and Miles in Royton, Oldham, on Wednesday, to let them know that the pair, both aged 27, had survived.

Havelock is five hours by boat to port Blair on the South Andaman island, which is owned by India.

The couple, who met two years ago, left the UK in September for their two-year trip around the world together.

Mr Keith Richards, James' father, said: "The last few days have been hell - from hearing the news to receiving the phone call. It's been terrible. We haven't slept for days."

His family, including James' older brothers, had been for a walk together on Boxing Day and heard about the earthquake in Indonesia on their return.

Mr Richards said: "We had received a phone call from James a couple of days before Christmas to say they were going to Havelock and because it would be difficult to communicate from the island, they wouldn't be able to call us.

"But looking at the map after we heard about the tidal wave, we thought that there was no chance they would have survived. The television news made us fear the worst. They said that part of the Andaman Islands had been completely wiped out, so we haven't been watching it."

During their trip so far, the couple had managed to visit the Himalayas, and had been travelling around parts India. They sent a book of pictures back to Mr and Mrs Richards just days before Christmas, along with presents for the family.

Before going travelling, Samantha sold her house in Stubbins which she shared with James and used the money for the trip - her first ever travelling venture.

James has been travelling since he was 18, returning back to the UK to work and save money for his trips. He started as an apprentice footballer with Blackburn Rovers after he left school, but when a career in the game did not materialise, he decided to travel round the world.

Mr Richards said: "I am not sure what James and Sam will do now - whether they will continue their trip or return home. We have heard that they will be flown to Calcutta from the island, but what they do from there is up to them. Apparently they are still having tremors. We are just waiting to speak to them now. It's just a matter of waiting."

A former reporter on the Radcliffe Times has told how he was lucky to escape with his life. Gary Zabel (51) and his wife, Ruth, were holidaying on the holiday island of Phuket, but survived the disaster because they were out at sea.

The couple and their daughter, Laura, had been travelling to the island of Phi Phi for a day of snorkelling and sailing when the disaster occurred. They later returned to their hotel room to find it destroyed by the force of the wave.

Gary, who was born in Radcliffe, said: "We have been so lucky and we can't believe we were not in our rooms or on the beach when it happened. Apparently the safest place to be was at sea."

Gary worked as education correspondent on the Bolton Evening News in the 1970s and later forged a successful career in publishing, becoming chief executive of Hollis Directories Ltd in 1992.

Ruth, who now works as a teacher, is a former Bury Convent pupil. The family now live in Surrey.

UNICEF, whose north west headquarters is based in Prestwich, has launched an appeal for funds to help provide aid to the tsunami-struck countries. Cheques or postal orders, should be made payable to UNICEF Asia Emergency Appeal, PO Box 254, Prestwich, Manchester, M25 3WT