BORDER TELEGRAPH news editor David Knox has revealed how he was five minutes from certain death by the massive earthquake which struck Nepal on Saturday.

The 48-year-old journalist was on a family holiday with his wife Aileen and four year old daughter Jess when they found themselves at the centre of the 7.8 magnitude tremor.

They had been visiting the temples in the iconic Durbur Square in Patan when they decided to make a trip to a nearby museum.

Five minutes later the earthquake - which has so far claimed 4,310 lives and affected eight million people - struck and they could only watch as the temples in the square crashed to the ground.

They had been enjoying a holiday of a lifetime when the quake erupted which destroyed their plans to return home to Scotland the following day.

In a phone call from the British Embassy in Kathmandu David told us: “We were in Durbur Square in Patan which is the city next to Kathmandu when the earthquake happened about noon I think on Saturday.

“We had been on the temples with my little girl Jess getting some photographs taken on the last day of our holidays. We decided to pop over to a nearby museum, paid our money top get in and were just climbing the stairs when the craziest thing ever happened. We were getting thrown from side to side, wall to wall, it was the craziest thing ever.

“We looked out the window across to the square and watched as the temples crashed to the ground. It was devastation after that. We took refuge in some gardens for about four to five hours with after shock followed by after shock.

“There is nothing left of the square. If we had still been there we would have been gone, there is no doubt about it. We are so lucky to have got out of there with just five minutes to spare.” After spending two days at the paralysed airport trying to get a flight out, the family spent Monday night on the floor of the British in Kathmandu hastily trying to re-arrange their travel plans.

He said: “We were denied entry into India despite having a boarding pass. But we have been told we will get on one of the army flights taking all the British back to the UK, probably on Thursday.

“We had two nights on the floor at Katmandu Airport and are now currently holed up at the British Embassy. But fingers crossed we will get away soon.

“But I have to say we have been fantastically looked after by the British Embassy, the British Army and the Gurkhas.” After the disaster struck, reltaives and friends anxiously tried to get information about their whereabouts. Eventually on Monday on his Facebook page David wrote: “Sorry we have been unable to give any updates but we have been stuck in Kathmandu airport for two days. Spent last night (Monday) in British Embassy and we were told just before bed that children are being prioritized for repatriation today with a 100-seater army plane to London. We could be finally flying out of Nepal by this evening.

“Despite a terrible few days we are all in good spirits and hopefully see you all before the weekend.” Earlier messages on the the social networking site showed how the family were loving their holiday in the mountainous territory going on long treks.

Included in their itinerary had been visits to popular Nepalese tourist destinations such as the World Peace Pagoda of Pokhara temple and Chitwan National Park.

But David also told of witnessing several crashes due to the deplorable state of the country’s roads.

However that was nothing compared to the disaster which befell Nepal and the surrounding territories on Saturday.

When news of the massive earthquake broke, relatives and friends desperately tried to make contact with the family but communication was extremely difficult.

Eventually a message appeared on David’s Facebook page to say that Aileen had made a phone call to say they had survived the earthquake and were “safe and well” but were currently stranded.

The United Nations said yesterday eight million people have been affected by the massive earthquake in Nepal - more than a quarter of the country’s population.

They added International aid has started arriving but there is still huge need - 1.4 million require food aid.

The 7.8-magnitude quake hit Nepal on Saturday destroying buildings in Kathmandu and severely affecting rural areas across the region.

The death toll has risen to 4,310, with almost 8,000 injured.

Nepal and surrounding areas have continued to experience aftershocks. Thousands in Kathmandu, Nepal’s capital, spent a third night outside, too afraid to go back into their houses.

Water, food and electricity are in short supply and there are fears of outbreaks of disease.

A statement from the UN Office of the Resident Co-ordinator, said: “According to initial estimations and based on the latest earthquake intensity mapping, eight million people in 39 districts have been affected, of which over two million people live in the 11 severely affected districts.”