THE sons of a Worcester man and woman still missing after the tsunami disaster have returned from Thailand after giving up hope of finding their parents.

John and Annie Hofton, who were holidaying in Khao Lak, have not been heard from since the tsunami struck on Boxing Day.

John's sons Edward, aged 32, and Thomas, 30, and Annie's son Stacey Love, 37, flew out to the destination their parents called "paradise" on Saturday, with an ITV news crew to continue the search.

After witnessing the destruction first hand they began to despair.

"It's devastating, absolutely horrific," Thomas said. "I am surprised even one person survived."

Last night's programme - 7 Days That Shook The World - showed their search amongst the wreckage, through the makeshift morgues and on boards displaying photographs of the dead.

On the journey to Khao Lak, the sons explained that they were waiting until their parents returned home to celebrate Christmas, and that there were still presents under the tree waiting to be opened.

But their optimism faded after seeing the destruction themselves.

John's brother Jimmy, speaking from his home in Solihull, said his nephews had telephoned him.

"They've been to the South Seas Pakarang resort where John and Annie were staying but it's been wrecked," he said. "The hotel has been virtually erased - there is so little left of it.

"The water at that particular point had gone back three kilometres and the boys said that where the water had left its mark on the trees, it had easily been up to 10 metres high."

"It's desperate out there," he added.

Finally Edward, Thomas and Stacey were told by an aid worker that every living Westerner had now been accounted for, and that none of these were their parents.

ITV reported that the sons had been forced to conclude they would never see their parents again. They spent their last evening on the beach, remembering Mr and Mrs Hofton, and floating lit candles on the now-calm surface of the ocean.

Sales manager John Hofton, 62, and his 57-year-old wife - who owned women's fashion shop Tizzies in Belle Vue Terrace, Malvern - were on holiday with Dutch couple Oscar and Rennie Van der Valk.

Mrs Van Der Valk was killed but her husband survived after being dragged for two miles by the water.

Worcestershire mum Jenny Moore spoke of her relief at the weekend, at the news her son had survived the tsunami.

Thirty-two-year-old Matthew, of Kidderminster, returned home after surviving in the Maldives by climbing a tree."I just cried when I saw him," she said.

"He has been so lucky."

Hospital supplies touch down

DOZENS of items of clothing, blankets and medical supplies were flown out to Sri Lanka this weekend after a mammoth collection at Worcestershire Royal Hospital.

The collection was organised by the hospital's sexual health doctor, Dr Yassus DeSilva, whose family live in Sri Lanka, which was hit by the Boxing Day tsunami.

The hospital trust donated incubators, ventilators and other vital medical supplies which were taken to the Asian country by Dr DeSilva's family.

Fire crews soap down to raise relief cash

FIREFIGHTERS in Worcester have been washing cars to raise money for the victims of the tsunami disaster.

Yesterday's fund-raising event, at Worcester Fire Station, in the city centre, will carry on today between 10am and 4pm.

Steve Laugher of Blue Watch said: "We're trying to raise as much money as possible for the disaster out there.

"The public have been very generous so far.

"With the seriousness of this disaster it's very important that we all pull together to assist those that need our help."

Mr Laugher thanked Worcester's Halfords store, in Blackpole, and Homebase, in St John's, for providing the equipment.