A WEST Dorset couple doing voluntary work in Nepal are staying on to help after surviving the devastating earthquake.

Judith and Simon Hill, travelling with Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) have been asked to assess the damage in isolated villages.

The couple, from Beaminster, were 50 miles apart when the quake hit but assured friends and family of their welfare as soon as they could.

Simon said: “The aftershocks which set our 'quake alarm' off continue to plague our days, but their only real effect is to send us out into the streets clutching our few precious belongings. Happily these heart racing occurrences are becoming fewer.

"We count our lucky stars that our situation is not worse."

Judith added: “Simon and I are fine, as are our immediate team of volunteers and Nepali nationals. We know of many whose family homes or relations have not been so fortunate, so it is very close to home. Although Lamjung is one of the districts that has been in the news as closest to the epicentre of Saturday's earthquake we have escaped the worst of the damage.

“As you can imagine it was a very frightening experience and some VSO volunteers are being re-repatriated. We feel safe and hope to be able to do something constructive to help.

“We have been given the go ahead to offer our assistance where we can."

The couple have posted on their blog farmingandfoodnepal.blogspot.co.uk about their experiences.

Simon was in Baglung Hotel and says trying to escape the building was like ‘running down an upcoming escalator’.

He said: “I wandered back to the tea room as the building began to shake. The first reaction when that happens is not to escape, it is to take a split second as your senses realise what is happening.

“We started to run down, that’s when the escalator experience kicked in.

“The flights of stairs seem endless and seem to rise up at you preventing that much desired arrival at the bottom.

“As we ran, the building rattled like someone was taking swipes at it with a wrecking ball and the windows popped open as their frames changed shape. A feeling of impending doom filled our minds and images of collapsing packs of concrete cards pushed us on.

“Through the open door which now lay ahead the sounds of shouts and screams were coming back at us in a growing crescendo as we finally burst out into a narrow street. The noise of falling masonry to our right greeted us as we joined the fleeing masses whilst surrounding tall buildings continued to rattle and sway.

“Baglung was largely still standing, but we had all been given a lesson in the strength of natural forces, whilst at the same time experiencing a lucky escape.

“After making contact with the VSO emergency line the next call was to Jude who to my joy had also escaped injury.”

Judith, who was in Besisahar when the quake hit said: “We have had a few very minor tremors so I just thought it was another. So much went through my mind in the split seconds that followed."