Briton in Thai tragedy back home

The couple were one month into a 12-month trip overseas

A British woman whose boyfriend died in a flash flood in Thailand has arrived back in the UK.

Helena Carroll, 21, from Solihull, clung to a rock ledge but John Cullen, 24, decided to enter the water.

He was one of eight people killed when water washed away a party of tourists as they explored a cave in the Khao Sok national park on Saturday.

Miss Carroll has flown into Heathrow Airport from Bangkok and was thought to have been met by her father.

I sung to myself and just prayed and prayed that someone would come and save me Helena Carroll

The group had been exploring the caves when heavy rainfall caused flash floods, which sent water surging into the cave.

In a BBC interview Miss Carroll said: "I turned around and I just saw this wave - all this water just coming.

"John turned around to me. He goes 'I've seen this on the telly. We're gonna die'.

She said they climbed "for a little bit" but then John got back in the water to try and get some help.

"He's just said he loves me and he just let go and he (was).. just gone," she added.

Miss Carroll was alone in the cave for 16 hours

Miss Carroll climbed further up to a ledge and waited for 16 hours in the dark before being rescued.

She said: "I sung to myself and just prayed and prayed that someone would come and save me."

District official Sitichai Thaicharoen said Miss Carroll was rescued on Sunday after she was found clinging to the cave's roof.

She received treatment in a Thai hospital.

The couple, both from the Midlands, were one month into a 12-month trip overseas when they were caught up in the floods.

According to police Lieutenant Colonel Pichan Kanayasiri, the heavy rainfall caused flash floods.

Among the eight dead were a 10-year-old German boy and four Swiss nationals.