PEOPLE from across East Lancashire told how they were caught up in the chaos of the terrorist attacks and said: "Thank God we are alive".

Blackburn with Darwen Council's deputy mayor revealed how only a delay checking out from a hotel saved her from being on a London Tube train when the attacks began.

Coun Dorothy Walsh had been due to travel back with two council officers from the Chartered Institute of Public Relations' annual awards ceremony, yesterday.

The councillor for Highercroft, Blackburn, said: "Had we left on time, 15 minutes earlier, we'd have been on the Tube when it all happened.

"In London on Wednesday there was such a fantastic atmosphere, what with them winning the Olympic bid and all.

"But, after the explosions and the chaos, there was just this unnatural calm.

"People just walked around, and we were advised not to leave the hotel. They kept the rooms open for us."

Coun Walsh was in London with the council's chief press officer, Anne Taylor, and director of communications, Alison Milner.

Three members of the same family missed the blast sites by minutes.

Ralph Lewis, 21, a student at King's College London, was heading for Russell Square Tube station to pick up tickets to America from a student travel shop when the first explosion ripped through the area.

He said: "I really did have a lucky escape as the bomb went off exactly where I was going to go.

"I literally was on my way there, but when I got to the station was told there had been a problem on the line and my train was not running."

His father Robert, 52, a barrister, and his brother Roland, 24, a banker, were left stranded at work after the bombs went off.

Ralph added: "The reality of the situation has still not sunk in.

"As a family we all travel to these places regularly and use public transport in London daily. We were really lucky that we were not caught up in it.

"I fly to America next week and am starting to feel apprehensive about making that journey."

The family, originally from Turton, near Darwen, moved to Hertfordshire ten years ago.

Ralph's grandma, Lilian Lewis, 85, from Edgworth, said: "I know we have been very lucky and a lot of other families will not be hearing such good news."

Angela Prendergast, originally from Oswaldtwistle, relayed information on what was going on in London back to friends in East Lancashire via an Accrington-based web forum.

She described how she had got on a bus moments after the double decker, in Russell Square, close to her home, exploded -- only to be ordered off by police who feared more bombs had been planted.

She said: "I was late leaving home, so looked for a cab. I wondered why lots of people were walking, rang the office, and was told that the Tube had gone down.

At about 9:45 there was an enormous bang. We all looked at one another and said 'That was a bomb'."

One former Church man, calling himself Nigel on the website, described the situation close to where he worked.

He said: "I have seen no tears nor blatant anger; the feeling is one of shock, but not surprise. After 9/11 and Madrid, most people accepted that "our turn would come" and then it was only a matter of when."