Quake escape

BACK in the UK: Delia, Rebecca and David with Rebecca’s mother, Judith Mitchell

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Family’s respite from NZ chaos
LITTLE Delia Thorpe was only six-weeks-old when she slept through the earthquake which devastated Christchurch.

She was in a car with mum Rebecca, from Oldham, when the 6.3 magnitude quake hit New Zealand’s second largest city at 12.51pm on February 22, killing more than 160 people.

Accountant Rebecca (34) was waiting for husband David who was in an office at the time.

Their house in central Christchurch was left uninhabitable by the quake, forcing them to fly back to the UK to stay with family. They are currently with Rebecca’s parents in Tandle Hill Road, Royton.

Rebecca said: “We had been out getting Delia’s six-week jabs. We were on our way back from the clinic and we were doing some business in town.

“We were in the car outside some offices, waiting for David who was inside the building, when it hit. The building clearly bounced, but thankfully it was new. I got out of the car and I could see the road and the pavement buckle against each other under my feet. It is an image I will never forget.

“Thankfully, Delia slept through it all. She was nice and safe in her car seat.

“We just got out of town as quickly as we could. There was a lot of damaged buildings and a lot of dazed people. The buildings that had come down gave an indication that it was very big.”

Rebecca has lived in New Zealand for six years where she met musician David (39), who moved there there eight years ago.

They married three years ago and have permanent residency.

Rebecca said of their wrecked home: “It has basically imploded. It looks like someone has picked it up, shaken it around and flung it on the ground again.

“But we feel quite lucky. All we have lost is our home. Other people have lost somebody as well.”

The pair praised the kindness of neighbours, friends and strangers who looked after them and put them up.

But they had to cope with no electricity or running water.

Rebecca, who is on maternity leave, added: “It was hard but we just had to be careful about keeping clean.”

After getting an emergency New Zealand passport for Delia, the family are still in England for some respite from the chaos.

However, they are determined to returned to New Zealand even though they face months of upheaval while their house, which was insured, is rebuilt.

David said: “We are keeping positive and we can dream about the new possibilities because they are rebuilding the city.”