A father spoke yesterday of the death of his wife and one of their twin daughters, swept away by floods near their holiday home in Spain.

Lorraine Cullen, 47, and Lauren, 14, lost their footing as they tried to cross a bridge over a swollen river with Lauren’s sister Samantha and a Spanish girl named Gemma who had befriended them.

The four had abandoned their Ford Fiesta car and were trying to cross the River Clariano to get to their isolated country home in L’Olleria, near Valencia.

One slipped and pulled the others down with her. Lorraine and Lauren fell into the torrent and were carried off by the current.

Samantha managed to cling to the branch of a pine tree and grab Gemma, also 14, but could only watch as her mother and twin were pulled under and drowned.

Mark Cullen, who owns a roofing company in Brighton, said: “My wife went to pick up Samantha from the town centre. When they drove back the water was up high over the bridge. They got out of the car, all held hands and started to walk across the river.

“It was only up to their knees, but one of them slipped and it caused a concertina effect. The others came crashing down. It carried them across the edge.

“My daughter Sam is quite strong and managed to grab hold of a tree and climb up. She saw Gemma and grabbed her, but Lorraine and Lauren were gone.” He has flown out with his sons Daniel, 22, and Darren, 19, to be with his daughter as she recovers in hospital.

Cullen, who celebrated his 25th wedding anniversary in August, added: “It’s a blur; you don’t expect to lose two members of your family in one hit.”

Rescue workers found the bodies of Lauren and her mother. The region has experienced heavy rains in recent days and roads and railway lines have been flooded.

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