Quake man thought he was doner for

LUCKY ESCAPE . . . Richard and wife Claire.

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A TERRIFIED Oldham family have spoken of their horror after being caught up in the huge earthquake which shook Turkey and Greece.

Father-of-three Richard Smith (36), of Chadderton, was after a cash machine - and a kebab - near Marmaris, Turkey, when the tremor took hold . . . with his wife and kids safely tucked away in the hotel.

"It was scary," he said.

"My instant thoughts were with my wife and kids.

"I'd put my card in the machine which is when the ground started shaking.

"I could see debris falling.

"One of the locals started pointing at a building - at which point I saw dust spewing out."

The family ­- Richard and his wife Claire, and youngsters Alfie, Ben and Chloe ­- had been to a magic show and were returning to the Grand Aquarium in Icemeler when Richard got the munchies.

"I just legged it back after that - but when I got to the hotel, everyone was on sunbeds - at night - it was very strange.

"It then dawned on me they had been evacuated, but thankfully my wife and kids were there."

Since the quake struck in the early hours of Friday, Greek and Turkish airports have been faced with huge logistics issues.

Some holidaymakers have called time on their summer break and headed back, others due to arrive are unsure where they can stay.

Hundreds have been injured, many left stranded - two dead on the Greek island of Kos.

The clear-up operation is likely to be costly with confusion over insurance claims.

The after-shocks - of which there have been several - really don't help.

Richard, a customer adviser at Hamilton's bed shop on Melbourne Street, Chadderton, added: "It's a funny feeling because your whole surroundings are shaking - usually if something is shaking, you grab hold of something to steady yourself . . . but everything was shaking.

"On the Friday night, we had more tremors - while eating dinner, there was one bigger than the others - I think 4.6 magnitude . . . it brought a tear to my wife's eye - and we are here for another week yet.

"I still got my kebab though."