'Miracle' family discovered safe

Floryda Smith and her family say it is a miracle they are safe

A Kent family feared dead in the Asian tsunami disaster have been found safe and well in a hotel in Indonesia.

Gareth and Floryda Smith and their children Joshua, six, and Zurubbabel, nine, from Herne Bay, were visiting Mrs Smith's mother over Christmas.

Speaking from Sumatra on Wednesday, Mr Smith said it was a miracle they survived. "It was just devastating to see the amount of turmoil," he said.

Mr Smith's brother received the news by phone from the British Consulate.

Celebration assembly

The news arrived just in time for assembly at the children's school, Reculver Primary, in Herne Bay.

"Just as the whole school was seated in assembly waiting to start we had a telephone call," said headteacher Jill Burgess.

"So we changed our assembly and it became a real celebration assembly."

The Rev Thomas McKinlay of Herne Bay Baptist Church, where the Smiths worship, said the congregation had been desperately worried.

"We are delighted at this outcome but we are mindful of those who have received news of a different nature and we are concerned for them," he said.

The family had been visiting Mrs Smith's mother on the island of Sapora, north-west of Sumatra.

"Sapora apparently received only 1m swell," said Mr McKinlay.

"But we had received no news about how badly the islands had been hit."