The family of a globe-trotting pensioner feared dead in the Asian tsunami have received the news they were praying for.

As hope faded for 159 British tourists Effie Silburn, 75, appeared safe and well.

Her family and friends spent eight agonising days fearing the worst after they lost touch with her.

Effie, from Consett, County Durham, had been on a two-week tour of Thailand when the tsunami devastated large swathes of the country. As the death toll rose to more than 144,000, her nephew tried desperately to get news of her, but without success. But on the day all those still missing were officially presumed dead her family received the news they had feared would never come.

Her overjoyed nephew, John Blakeman, 49, said: "We are absolutely thrilled.

"This is the news we've prayed for. The last eight days have been agony.

But just as we were giving up all hope we got the call we wanted. It's wonderful news."

Postal worker John, who lives in Harrow, Middlesex, described the harrowing task of hunting for Effie's name in the list of the dead. His aunt had been on a tour of the island, which included the coastal resort of Phuket, where hundreds of residents and holidaymakers have perished.

He had reported her missing to the Foreign Office and given a description to authorities to be matched against the bodies of British tourists found on the island.

Father-of-two John said: "It has been desperate. As soon as we saw the news on Boxing Day - we've tried everything to get any news of her. "We gave out her description to the Foreign Office in the hope they might know something. But we heard nothing."

Then it emerged yesterday that all his efforts had, thankfully, been for nothing when it was revealed that Effie, who has no children, was due to arrive back in the UK today, as she had originally planned.

"She's probably completely unaware of all the coverage the disaster has received back home. She'll wonder what all the fuss is about," John said.

Effie's elderly friends, at the Victoria Court sheltered housing block in Consett, said they were delighted to learn that she would be coming home.

Effie left for her two-week tour on December 21 after booking her singles holiday over the internet.

She is known for her globetrotting - and last year took a three-week trip across China.

Fellow resident and friend Ethel Ashall, 89, said: "I've been watching the coverage trying to look out for her. We've all been so worried. It's been a terrible thing. We'll probably have a bit of a party."

Ethel Malpass, 74, said: "There are 30 people in here and everybody has been worried about her. It could have been a terrible end, but this is fantastic news - we are so, so happy."