A PINNER couple survived one of the worst earthquakes in New Zealand's history after they nipped back to their motel for a sandwich.

Peter and Sheila Howes, of Buckland Rise, arrived back home safely in Pinner yesterday (Thursday 4) after what they admit had been a traumatic end to their holiday which they were lucky to survive.

The retired couple were on a six-week tour of Australia and New Zealand and were staying in Christchurch when the 6.3 tremor struck at 12.51pm on February 22.

They had spent most of their time there in the middle of the city, eating out for meals and seeing the sights, but on the day of the quake they decided to go back to their motel for a cheap lunch.

Mr Howes told the Observer: "We had been in the centre of the city in the morning and we had walked back for some lunch as our motel wasn't very far away. We knew we already had some sandwiches we could eat there and the weather wasn't very good so that's what we did.

"Then the earthquake struck. The room was shaking violently from side to side and we rushed out into the open, we didn't really know what to do. But there wasn't any damage to our building, it was a fairly modern motel and it was only two storeys high.

"It was pretty scary but we couldn't see much damage where we were and we had no idea how bad it was. The manager of the motel said it was the biggest aftershock since the September quake but we didn't think it could have been worse.

"We still had power so we turned on the telly and then we realised it was a serious event. The death toll kept going up but there was nothing we could do, they closed off the roads."

Mrs Howes' brother-in-law, veteran tennis player Alec Allen, from Ruislip, had been playing a match in Christchurch when the quake struck and stayed the night in the couple's motel. Aftershocks continued and the next day they decided to leave using their rental car, and were able to board a ferry to New Zealand's north island.

"When we reflect on it, it was just a chance decision that made the difference," Mr Howes continued. "Who knows what would have happened if we hadn't gone back for those sandwiches."