Eastbourne couple in holiday earthquake terror

Philip Stokes was on a 10-day break with his wife when tourist destinations around the Aegean Sea were rocked by a 6.5-magnitude earthquake in the early hours of last Friday.

The couple arrived back in Eastbourne on Wednesday night and said the experience had been frightening but they were grateful they were eventually allowed to return to their Thompson hotel when it was declared safe by building inspectors.

Mr Stokes, 49, said, “It was frightening at the time as the room was shaking and it woke us up at 1.38am. There was another quake after that, it all happened so quickly.

“We went out to the car park and other holidaymakers were out there. We stayed outside all night and staff brought sunbeds up from the beach, water and blankets and the next morning cooked breakfast for us all outside.

“We were allowed back in when the hotel was declared safe. The hotel staff were brilliant.”

Two people were killed and hundreds injured during the earthquake which stretched from Turkey to the Greek islands.