A LUCKY-to-be-alive family have survived nearly a week trapped by a devastating avalanche in the Austrian Alps without heat, light and with very little food.

Laurence Williamson, his daughter Catherine, 19, and son Andrew, 21, were trapped in a tiny village just a few hundred yards away from some of the worst avalanches this decade, which have claimed more than 35 lives.

Laurence and Catherine, of Bartle Lane, Preston, returned home last weekend after being involved in a massive emergency air-lift to safety by the Austrian Air force. Andrew arrived back on Monday, after helping with the clear-up operation.

They had survived off a meagre diet off bread and soup for most of the week.

Mum Isobel spent an anxious fortnight at home waiting for news.

Laurence said: "I think the worst thing was for our family. They were seeing the worst of the devastation on television and weren't sure what was going on.

"The buildings either side of us were evacuated because they were only wooden structures and people moved into our complex, which was much more secure.

"Nobody panicked, but we were very concerned about when we would get home."

Catherine added: "We passed a lot of the time building igloos."

It was only when they were eventually air-lifted to safety that they realised just how lucky they had been.

Laurence, managing director of an insurance brokers in Fulwood, added: "We could see uprooted trees, destroyed houses and the devastation the avalanches had caused."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.