A HAMPSHIRE holidaymaker was among the victims of the south Asian tsunami disaster, the Daily Echo can reveal.

Peter Weston was killed when the tidal wave hit the Maldives where he was staying with his wife and two daughters.

The 47-year-old businessman, wife Jackie, 45, and daughters Katie, 11 and Victoria, 14, were near the end of a week-long holiday at the White Sands Resort on the Ari Atoll Island when tragedy struck.

They had flown into the Indian Ocean paradise island on December 20 and were due to return home on Monday.

Mrs Weston described how the family had been standing outside their hotel's reception at one end of the island.

She told the Daily Echo that the first thing she had heard was the sound of dozens of children screaming. When she turned around she saw a huge surge of water coming straight towards them.

Mrs Weston said: "People didn't know where to go or what to do. It was sudden and chaotic. In the chaos Pete got separated from us.

"We are all absolutely devastated. He was a fantastic father and husband. We just can't put into words how we feel."

Mr Weston was managing director of Otterbourne-based Media Innovations Group, which makes memory cards for digital cameras.

As his wife and children returned to their home in Owslebury yesterday, friends described how they had been left devastated by his loss.

The Reverend Mark Bailey, vicar of Twyford and Owslebury, has visited the family to comfort them.

He said: "He was a lovely man who was very well liked in this area. This area was his home. He was well known, grew up here, always lived here and was a very community-minded person.

"The whole family are absolutely devastated by his untimely death and it will take a long time for them to get over their loss. Peter Weston will be greatly missed."

A former neighbour at the family's old home in Boyes Lane, Colden Common, said: "This is a tragedy and our thoughts go out to his family and indeed to everyone else across the world who has lost someone in this disaster.

"I am absolutely shocked at this news."

A local newspaper in the Maldives, the Dhivehi Observer, reported that Mr Weston was drowned and his passport lost.

To donate to the Tsunami Earthquake fund go to www.dec.org.uk or call 0870 60 60 900