Families wait for news

Families across Britain were today plunged into mourning as the grim death toll continued to rise in South and East Asia. Hundreds waited helplessly for news of their loved ones - missing and feared dead in the aftermath of Sunday's tsunami.

Film director Lord Attenborough was among those grieving after it was confirmed his daughter, Jane Holland, 49, and granddaughter, Lucy, 14, were among the 18 Britons now confirmed dead. Jane's mother, also called Jane Holland, was also missing, feared death, after their family holiday in Phuket, Thailand, was devastated by the disaster.

The family, who live in London, have asked for privacy "at this terrible time". Lord Attenborough Attenborough's son-in-law, Michael Holland, and eldest grandson, Sam survived.

The South and East Asian communities of London watched in horror as the tsunami destroyed the lives of their relatives. Hundreds are grieving the loss of entire families in the capital's Sri Lankan community.

Moulana Mazahir, from Harrow, lost 50 close relatives when a wall of water destroyed his home town of Hambantota, a popular tourist resort in southern Sri Lanka. The 45-year-old chef 's only solace is that his wife and three sons, who had been on holiday in the coastal resort, escaped with their lives after leaving just three hours before disaster struck. Mrs Mazahir is now begging her husband to fly to Sri Lanka, where he said she is "inconsolable".

"She's terrified - she has lost almost all her family," said Mr Mazahir. "They're homes have been destroyed and their bodies are being found daily.

"I can't imagine what it was like - within two or three minutes everything changed. My life will never be the same. I'm heart broken, it has devastated my family - at least 55 have died.

"It was a miracle my wife and sons are still alive - but they are terrified. I feel helpless here, there is nothing I can do."

Mr Mazahir praised the strength of his elder brother, Seyed Hameed, who is burying his family as their bodies are found. He said: "I wouldn't have the strength to do what he is doing."

Mohammed Samsudena and his wife Nirusha, 29, also from Harrow, say they have lost 40 family members and are desperately trying to contact other relatives in Hambantota - where communication is almost impossible in a country devastated by the disaster.

"I'm calling every hour to find out what is going on - but the tsunami has caused chaos and it is almost impossible to contact my family," said the 36-year-old petrol station sales assistant.

"But when we do, it's just more bad news. Yesterday morning we heard that the body of my sister-in-law, Fatima, had been found. She was only 18 years old."

Mr Samsudena, 36, a petrol service attendant, believes among those to have died are their eight-year-old niece, Farha, and four-year-old nephew, Raflan. "There's no chance they have survived - we have given up hope of them being found alive."

Among the British tourists presumed dead is Taylor Howard, six, and his brother Mason, eight, from St Ives, Cornwall. Their mother Sharon, 37, is believed to have survived.

Another Britain is presumed dead is Piers Simon, 33, who died saving his brother's girlfriend from the floods in the Thai island Phi Phi.

Relatives of newlyweds Christopher and Gaynor Mullen from Richmond, south-west London, now fear the worst - last hearing from the couple on Christmas Day, when they simply said - they were "on the beach" in Thailand.

Conservation volunteer Lisa Jones, 31, died on the tiny Thai island of Koh Phra Thong, where she had been helping research the habits of sea turtles.