STEPHEN Hunter is midway through his expected 18-month-long treatment to recover fully from the injury he suffered in the Asian tsunami of Boxing Day 2004, which killed 200,000 people in 13 countries.

The 28-year-old, who had been on the Thai island of Koh Phi Phi since October 2004 working as dive master for a diving company, had four inches of the Achilles tendon on his left leg ripped out.

As the freelance sound engineer from Broadwas, near Worcester, prepares for this weekend's charity event in memory of a friend who died in the disaster, he recalls that terrible day.

Stephen, who was living in the village of Ton Sai, said: "I was in bed. I was sharing a room with my cousin, Craig, when I was woken up by a horrendous sound, which I thought was a tropical storm. I heard people screaming.

"I jumped out of bed and looked out of the window. There was a bright, blue sky so it couldn't have the weather."

Stephen heard a loud bang and the room's door burst open.

"I was confronted by a wall of water. I remember being suddenly engulfed in water."

The room was destroyed and Stephen was left unconscious as he was swept 150 metres away. It was during his blackout that his leg was injured.

When he regained consciousness - while actually under water - he found himself trapped in a room in a concrete building and had to literally kiss the roof to get at the pockets of air. While the pain from his injury was excruciating, Stephen's first instinct was to survive.

He escaped after diving down and clambering out through a hole. He then climbed on to the roof before finding refuge on a nearby rock face, where he was stranded for 24 hours with eight other survivors.

"It wasn't until I got to the safe environment that the pain kicked in," he says. "People were just screaming. Everybody was badly injured. I just lay there trying to fight off the mosquitoes."

"It was just complete devastation. It was like a bomb had gone off."

Stephen, who found out five days later that his cousin had survived, was eventually airlifted to a hospital on the

Thai mainland.

In England he was treated at Worcestershire Royal Hospital before being transferred to Selly Oak Hospital.

Treatment has so far involved a skin graft. Eventually a replacement tendon will be taken from another part of his body, then muscle, also from another part of his body, will be used to cover the tendon. He'll have to wear a cast for about two months before undergoing up to four months of physiotherapy to help him walk again.

The charity day, which takes place on Saturday, at The Vineyards, in Broadwas, is in aid of The Lisa May Foundation, set up in memory of Stephen's friend Lisa, who died in the disaster.

The foundation gives the money directly to the people who need it. So far about £46,000 has been raised, which has paid for 38 fishing boats and essentials such as fresh water tanks.

The event takes place from noon until 9pm and will include live music and an art auction. For information call 01886 821346.