A TERMINALLY-ILL tsunami survivor would happily trade her compensation money for the chance to thank the people who saved her life.

Grandmother Marlene Duck, 71, has received payouts from her insurance firm and the holiday company she used.

But a year on from the disaster, she is no closer to achieving her dream of tracking down the two young Maldivan men who pulled her and friend Peter Cox, 82, from the killer waves.

The former ambulance driver, who has four children and seven grandchildren, said: "Somebody must know the two boys.

"The person who managed the resort must know."

Mrs Duck is now considering recording an appeal for Maldivan television to try and find the men.

She said: "I would happily trade all the money I received for the chance to meet them and say thank you.

"All the money does not matter a bit.

"We have got our lives and the bottom line is without them we wouldn't be here."

The friends, of Hensford Gardens, Sydenham, managed to survive the first wave unscathed by barricading themselves inside their beachside chalet in the resort on Meeru Island.

By the time a second wave hit, they were with many of the guests in the resort's garden.

As the water rolled over them, a sunbed smashed into Mrs Duck, breaking a bone in her knee.

She could see Mr Cox struggling to hold on to a bush.

Mrs Duck says the two men, who are in their early 20s, dragged her and former Royal Marine Mr Cox to safety.

She had booked the holiday after being diagnosed with terminal chest and bladder cancer.

Her family has advised her to stay in the UK on future holidays.

But she is determined to disregard their advice.

She said: "That is total rubbish because it could happen anywhere.

"You never know what is going to happen."

News Shopper has contacted the Maldives High Commission to try and help Mrs Cox achieve her dream of meeting her two rescuers.

STILL RECOVERING

  • The Maldives are in the Indian Ocean 700km south west of Sri Lanka;
  • The infrastructure on 53 of the 199 inhabited islands in the Maldives was totally destroyed by the tsunami;
  • Fourteen of the islands were completely evacuated;
  • A third of the country's 300,000 population was severely affected;
  • Thirty-seven per cent of schools were damaged;
  • More than 4,000 homes were destroyed or damaged;
  • At least 81 people died;
  • The government of the Maldives puts the cost of rebuilding the islands at more than £270m;
  • It estimates it will take another 18 months to rebuild infrastructure on devastated beaches.