'Lucky I'm alive' says outback woman

The British couple were on a round-the-world trip

The girlfriend of a British tourist feared to have been shot dead during an ambush in the Australian outback says she feels lucky to be alive.

Joanne Lees, 27, is set to revisit the scene of her ordeal in the Australian outback to help with a police reconstruction of the event.

She and her boyfriend Peter Falconio, 28, were held up by a mystery gunman as they travelled in their camper van on a desert highway 175 miles north of Alice Springs.

Shortly after being flagged down by the man on the Stuart Highway in the desolate area of the Northern Territory, Miss Lees heard what she thought was a gunshot.

She was then tied up by the man and thrown into the back of a van, but managed to escape into the bush where she spent several hours hiding from the gunman before raising the alarm.

But Mr Falconio, of Hepworth, near Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, disappeared, and as police mounted a search for him using Aboriginal trackers, they confirmed that traces of human blood had been found at the scene.

He really needs to be captured. I do not think he would hesitate to do it again

Joanne Lees

In her first interview since the attack, Miss Lees said: "Everyone can use their imagination about what it was like for me that night, but I was determined to escape and I feel very lucky to survive."

Former travel agent Miss Lees, said: "I honestly do not believe this man would have let me go. He really needs to be captured. I do not think he would hesitate to do it again."

She said they had stopped to refuel at a place called Ti Tree and watched the sun set.

"After we had been driving again for some time, a vehicle drove up alongside us and Pete slowed down, thinking it was going to overtake us - but he drove alongside us.

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"His interior light was on and it was a four-wheel drive with a dog inside.

"The man pointed to the back of our vehicle and motioned for us to stop.

Mother Joan Falconio: Desperately worried

"We then stopped and he pulled up behind us. Pete got out and went to the back of our van and the two were talking amicably and I thought everything was OK.

"Pete then came back to me and asked me to rev the engine so I moved to the driver's side and revved the engine. I then heard a bang. I thought it was something to do with the fault with our Kombi.

"The next thing I see, out of the back window, is him with a gun. He then came up to me and he opened the door and told me to switch off the engine and pushed me to the passenger side.

"Looking back, whether we stopped or not, I believe that he would have shot our tyres or done something anyway."

After escaping, Miss Lees scrambled into the bush, where she evaded capture for four hours until managing to flag down a passing truck driver.

I never want to see anything like that again. She was in an appalling state

Rescuer Rodney Adams

The driver, Rodney Adams, said: "I never want to see anything like that again. She was in an appalling state."

He said she threw her arms around him and asked where her boyfriend was.

"She sobbed, 'I want my mum'," said Mr Adams.

Family's vigil

Miss Lees' stepfather Vincent James, 58, flew out to Australia on Tuesday to be with her.

Her mother Jennifer James, 54, from Almondbury, Huddersfield, said: "She just wants to help Peter and helping the police is the only way she can help him.

"I think she's still holding a glimmer of hope that he may still be alive.

"He was like part of our family. He's such a lovely person. He would help anybody."

Mr Falconio's father Luciano and brother Paul, 31, flew out to Sydney on Tuesday and are expected to catch a flight to Alice Springs where they will be met by officers from the Northern Territory Police.

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