Our most dramatic story

Yesterday we said we would bring you a selection of the best stories we have published as part of the webteam's celebration of AudlemOnline's 10th Birthday coming up next week.

Possibly the most dramatic story was from almost as far away from Audlem as you can get on this planet – Christchurch, New Zealand.

After the city was hit by a devastating earthquake on 22nd February 2011, we were possibly the first to carry news of the disaster, featuring one British couple on the spot who had survived the disaster, Audlem couple, Peter and Janet Morgan.

Indeed, as we learnt more, their escape was even more remarkable as they were booked to be up in the Cathedral's tower just at the moment the quake struck. Peter, however, had not been feeling well and they had visited the Cathedral's book and gift shop before going on a later tour.

That queasy stomach almost certainly saved their lives as the photos show dramatically.

Our report said:

Audlem couple safe in NZ tragedy

Audlem couple, Peter and Janet Morgan were in Christchurch's cathedral in New Zealand at the moment the city was hit by a devastating earthquake yesterday at around noon local time (just before midnight last night GMT). The cathedral suffered severe damage.

Peter and Jan are reported to be safe according to news reaching AudlemOnline this morning with a text message received by their family. Peter is an Audlem Parish Councillor and Jan is well known at St James' church and as organiser of the cinema programme for the Public Hall.

The second photo shows how badly damaged the Cathedral was with its steeple collapsing and huge piles of rubble around the building.

The BBC reports that New Zealand's prime minister says at least 65 people have died after a 6.3-magnitude earthquake hit Christchurch. PM John Key said the toll was expected to rise further, adding: "We may be witnessing New Zealand's darkest day."

The tremor caused widespread damage as it occurred at lunchtime when Christchurch was at its busiest, at a shallow depth of 5km (3.1 miles). The mayor of New Zealand's second-biggest city says at least 200 people are believed trapped under rubble.

The country's deadliest natural disaster in 80 years struck at 1251 (2351 GMT on Monday), 10km (6.2 miles) south-east of the city. The damage is said to be far worse than after the 7.1-magnitude quake on 4 September, which left two people seriously injured but no fatalities.

TV pictures of the aftermath of Tuesday's disaster showed scores of collapsed buildings in the South Island city of nearly 400,000 people. People could be seen wandering the rubble-strewn streets in distress.

Police said that among the dead were people on two buses which had been crushed by falling buildings.

This article is from our news archive. As a result pictures or videos originally associated with it may have been removed and some of the content may no longer be accurate or relevant.