Everyone safe -- the miracle of Boscastle.

Byline: CHRIS COURT

IT WAS a miracle that no one appeared to have been killed in flood hit Boscastle when a wall of water tore through the streets of the pretty Cornish town on Monday night, police said yesterday.

Chief Superintendent Dave Hill, the incident commander, said they thought there would be loss of lives when the incident started.

``While we cannot be certain that we have people who are still missing, the indications are we look as if we are going to get away, miraculously, without any fatalities. ''

He said a cordon would be maintained around the village to enable the emergency services to carry out their work.

``We have to be conscious if we have any more heavy downpours we may have a similar situation of water rushing through the village, '' he said.

He could not say how long it would be before the village returned to normal.

``I am determined we will do a thorough job before we allow people back.

``There is massive structural damage to major buildings. ''

As rain began to fall on Boscastle last night, the officer said no one was being allowed into the village, adding ``as it happened so unexpectedly yesterday we cannot take any risks''.

Cornwall's deputy chief fire officer Matt Littmoden said after the rescue work they were yesterday concentrating on recovery work.

``We were searching the area looking for anybody who might still be there. We found nobody, '' he said.

The floods swept away cars from the car park at the foot of the steep village.

``We got out to all the cars that we found, '' said Mr Littmoden.

``I think that there were 20 cars we discovered out there.

``We have checked all the cars that we can see, we will have to wait and see what the tide uncovers in the morning.

``There is a lot of debris out there, and as we start to lift it out, it might expose some people that might have unfortunately lost their lives.

``But we cannot be clear at this stage, '' said Mr Littmoden, adding he understood that all villagers had been accounted for.

He said sniffer dogs had been involved in the operation, adding:''I am extremely confident there are no live casualties there. ``Whether there will be any bodies exposed as we dig the wreckage out I cannot say, '' he said.

``I am surprised there have been no confirmed fatalities in an incident of that type. I certainly would have expected fatalities. ''

Cornwall County Council emergency planning officer Martin Rawling said when the flood hit, 60 holiday makers were put up at the Boscastle village hall, then Camelford leisure centre.

They were last night being looked after by the authority and WRVS, and it was hoped they could collect their belongings today and return home.

Local people who had to leave their homes made their own arrangements.