Greece fires: Lancashire family evacuated from Rhodes says speed wildfire spread was ‘really dramatic’

Tommy and Chloe Vincent from Preston were on their first family holiday abroad with their three children aged six, four and 21 months.

Speaking to the BBC, Mr Vincent said they were “chilling out” on Saturday morning, but by lunchtime they were “trying to escape a fire.”

The family had been on holiday on the Greek island since Wednesday (July 19) – just one day after the wildfires started on July 18.

They could see the fires from the hotel in Faliraki where they were staying.

Mr Vincent said: “It’s amazing how quickly it changed.

“It was a lovely morning round the kids’ pool, which is the top section of the hotel, but the smoke was coming directly overhead.

“I noticed the ash falling on one of my children that was asleep, so I said to the wife, maybe we should get further down so the kids aren’t breathing this in

“By the time we packed our bags and got to the other side of the pool, the first helicopter had flown overhead, started picking up water from the sea and was heading back.”

He said by the time they got to their room a few minutes later, they could see the flames which had “probably quadrupled in size”.

“There were multiple helicopters overhead, really low,” Mr Vincent added.

“It was really dramatic, there was very thick smoke.”

Mrs Vincent said local people were rallying round to help tourists, giving out free water and free baby food.

She added: “A family opened up their apartment for us, they came to the evacuation centre, they met us there, they saw us with our young children and they said come to our homes, you can stay as long as you need.”

The Vincent family has since returned to Lancashire, but said they would go back to Rhodes.

“We’ve come back to a comfy family home and the people of Rhodes have lost their livelihoods, they lost their farmyard, their vineyards, it’s just awful for them,” Mrs Vincent said.

“Once we de-traumatise and de-stress, we will return to Rhodes to visit, especially to visit the people who took us in.”

Mr Vincent added: “I kind of feel like we got all the help from the Greek people and I feel like I’ve almost abandoned them that helped us.

“I wish we could do something more than just say thank you.”

Thousands of holidaymakers have landed back in the UK following the wildfires, with more repatriation flights set to take place.

On Tuesday (July 25), it was confirmed a firefighting plane had crashed on the island of Evia as temperatures soared above 40C.

Desperate residents, many with wet towels around their necks to stave off the scorching heat, used shovels to beat back flames approaching their homes.

The European Union has sent 500 firefighters, 100 vehicles and seven planes from ten member states, while Turkey, Israel, Egypt and other countries have also sent help.

Contributing nations included Italy which was dealing with its own fires and extreme weather at home.