A FORMER pupil at The Chase, in Malvern, has told of her escape from Saturday's terrorist bomb in Bali.

Vicky Harper, 24, a photography teacher now living in Cornwall, was with partner Nick Oliver on a 12-month round-the-world trip and left the Sari Club just an hour before it was destroyed.

Vicky's mother, Paula, lives in Hornyold Road, Malvern.

On Saturday night (October 12), Vicky and Nick visited the Sari Club before moving on to Paddy's pub next door. Just after 11pm, the bomb exploded.

"There was a huge deafening sound and two fireballs ripped through our pub, explosions going off, everyone screaming, panicking and making a desperate charge to get out," Miss Harper said in an email to her mother.

Mr Oliver was thrown to the floor. For a while Miss Harper did not know what had happened to him.

"The streets were lined with dead, dying, injured, limbless people and just the worst scene I could ever have imagined," she said.

The pair escaped with just cuts and bruises. They are now in Australia recovering, before continuing their trip.

Mrs Harper said she was relieved to hear the couple were all right.

"Vicky phoned us about an hour afterwards," she said. "I can't believe how lucky they are. You almost feel guilty that your joy is someone else's horror."

Malvern man, Terry Cole, also endured an anxious wait to hear whether his son, Rob, who flew out to Bali on the day of the bombing, was alright.

However, Internet journalist Rob arrived after the blast had already happened. He cancelled his intended holiday and filed first-hand reports for his employer, Sky News.