A Bermudian woman who survived the deadly tsunamis in one of the worst hit areas of Sri Lanka has started her own charity in the UK and raised ?56,000 to donate to aid projects there.

Clare Allen Crook (nee Watlington) was born and raised in Bermuda but she was married in Sri Lanka in February, 2004.

Mrs. Crook now lives in the UK but returned to Sri Lanka with her husband and daughter for a vacation shortly before the deadly tsunamis hit, her aunt Penny Watlington told .

On Boxing Day, Mrs. Crook was getting a massage near her hotel in the small town of Bentota when her masseuse warned her to run to her husband and son, who were on the beach.

Mrs. Watlington said her niece jumped up off the massage table naked and ran for her family ? she grabbed a towel along the way.

The first wave to hit was a warning, while the second was miraculously diverted to either side of them and the family was able to escape with their lives.

The unlikely escape during one of the most devastating natural disasters ever recorded inspired Mrs. Crook to take action.

?Their dignity and joy, their generosity and laughter in the face of such devastating personal loss was the most profound experience of my life,? she wrote to her aunt in an email.

Mrs. Crook set up ?Rebuilding Sri Lanka? to raise money to aid the tsunami-hit areas of the country and has already received tremendous support from the British public.

She also documented the tragic events of December 26, 2004 and its aftermath with photographs that are to be exhibited in Salisbury, England on January 22.

All proceeds of the exhibition will go to Rebuilding Sri Lanka.

Mrs. Crook founded Rebuilding Sri Lanka with other individuals in Sri Lanka and families from the United Kingdom who were staying in Bentota on December 26.

Rebuilding Sri Lanka plans to raise funds and invest them in the coastline and hinterland areas between Beruwala and Hikkaduwa in the south west of the country.

?Although they were safe, they have seen devastation to human life and to property which is beyond description,? says the Rebuilding Sri Lanka website. ?They are united by a love of Sri Lanka and its people and a desire to help the rebuilding of a part of the country and a desire to enable the people living in this area to re-establish the means to earn their own livelihoods again.

?All of this must be done in a direct and cost effective manner. They are all volunteers, working for free so that all of the money raised goes directly where it is needed.?

?It is expected that Rebuilding Sri Lanka will become a UK-registered Charitable Trust. The application process is underway. It already has a bank account and, to date, thanks to the kind generosity of many people, it has raised approximately ?56,600.

?It is hoped that this amount will be increased significantly during the next few months. Any donations will be very gratefully received.?

They do ?not want to create an aid mentality?, however, the website says. ? (Rebuilding Sri Lanka) wants to help to create the means for people to be self-sufficient. It wants to help local people assume the responsibility to rebuild Sri Lanka?.

?For example, the boatbuilders that it has contracted to build and repair fishing boats have already agreed to a take a 20 percent cut in their wages so that they too can contribute to and feel part of the rebuilding process.?

It said the group want to ?avoid the corruption that is prevalent in Sri Lanka? and get the aid directly to where it is needed.

?In many towns and villages, the situation remains dire,? says the website.

?The international agencies have still not established a meaningful presence in many villages in southern Sri Lanka.

?The team from Rebuilding Sri Lanka has established an excellent network of contacts, including local businessmen who are committed to the relief process and providers of needed supplies such as latrines, shovels, mattresses, cooking pots, fishing boats and fishing nets.

?They are working closely with a coalition of private sector relief agencies, NGOs, TV and newspaper journalists and Sri Lankan and foreign individuals.

?The initial work being performed includes digging latrines in the temples/refugee camps, water purification, setting up food kitchens and roadside food distribution, organising warehouses, sourcing rubble clearing equipment, employing people without jobs to participate in the relief process in return for a basic wage, contacting fishermen who have lost their boats and means of livelihood and assessing the longer term requirements of orphans, families and schools.

More details are available at their web-site which was expected to be completed by today.

They said all funds raised will be rigourously accounted for and documented.