A SWINDON couple who went to Sri Lanka to get married were lucky to escape alive when the tsunami hit their beach hotel.

Matthew Hmoud and Soraya Siamaki, from Kingshill, have paid tribute to the people of Sri Lanka after returning safe from what was supposed to be a dream wedding.

Matthew, 23, who works at Nationwide, and his 21-year-old fiance travelled out to Sri Lanka with his family on December 22 to get married.

They were relaxing by the pool at their hotel in the Berewala region when the first wave came in.

"We heard a commotion on the beach so we got up and ran to see what was going on," Mr Hmoud said. "There was just a wall of water. That first wave wasn't that big, it was never life threatening.

"We ran to our rooms then we went to see the manager to see what we could do to help."

While they were clearing up they were told another larger wave was coming so they went to the highest part of the hotel, where they were safe.

"The staff thought nothing of their own safety," Mr Hmoud said. "They were amazing. Our safety and comfort was the priority of every single Sri Lankan we met.

"We lost one special day in our lives, they have lost family members, homes, livelihoods."

Mr Hmoud's father saw corpses floating in the water and they believed two members of the hotel staff had been killed.

The couple are back in Swindon and have not yet arranged when and where they will get married.

l A massive volunteer effort to help people in Sri Lanka is continuing at RAF Wroughton.

Businessman Manolito Chandos, who organised the collection of donations, has been told the operation is the biggest in Europe.

He said yesterday that the operation would continue and that people can still make donations or volunteer. Mr Chandos also thanked everyone who has donated or helped out so far.

"We can't thank everybody enough," he said. "What we have achieved here is nothing short of a miracle."

Another drop-off point for donations has been set up in Lechlade by Craig Morse, who moved to Sri Lanka two years ago but recently returned home to visit friends and family.

As far as he knows his friends in Sri Lanka are safe but he does not know how badly the area he lives in has been affected.

Clothes, blankets, tinned food and bottled water can now be left at the Swan Hotel, in Burford Street, Cricklade.

Oxfam is calling for more volunteers to cope with the enormous number of donations they have received.

A spokesman for the charity said: "Some shops may be forced to temporarily close in the New Year if people are not available to help.

"Oxfam shops have been inundated with offers of food, clothing and tents.

"Although we are very grateful to receive donations of saleable items to raise funds for our work, we are not able to accept donations of food, blankets and shelter in our shops."

l A BRING and buy sale will be held in Wootton Bassett in aid of the victims of the tsunami.

New Court Surgery, on Borough Fields, Wootton Bassett, will hold the sale in its waiting room from 9am to noon this Friday, January 7.

Donations of goods for the sale would be welcomed at the surgery and everyone is welcome to go along on Friday. There will also be tea, coffee and cakes.

Ways you can help

TO donate to the relief fund contact the Disasters Emergency Committee on 0870 60 60 900 or visit website www.dec.org.uk

Or you can send cheques, payable to The Sri Lankan High Commission Disaster Fund, to the Evening Advertiser at 100 Victoria Road, Swindon SN1 3BE and we will forward them to the Sri Lankan High Commission, which can be called 0207 2621841. Mark the envelope 'Tsunami Appeal'.

To donate supplies take them along to hangar D1 at Wroughton Airfield and to volunteer phone Manolito Chandos on 07708 415362.

To volunteer at your local the Oxfam shop to help sort the donations coming in call the Regent Street shop in Swindon on 01793 511138 or the Boroughfield Precinct shop in Wootton Bassettt on 01793 850947.

If you are organising an event for the tsunami victims give the Adver newsdesk a call to tell us about it on 01793 501806.

David Andrew