Mattress used for protection in latest big shake

Christchurch resident Bridget Stuart and her boyfriend Ryan cowered beside a bed and pulled a mattress over the top of them for protection when their Cashmere began shaking in the massive 6.3 earthquake just before 1pm.

The house was badly damaged and the quake toppled several walls before it subsided.

Ms Stuart, whose father Tony Stuart is a Christchurch roofing contractor, said it was very frightening.

"Everybody is very shaken up.

"Anything that can be broken is broken.

"We have had half the walls fallen off."

Ms Stuart said the drive into house was no longer usable and her dog had disappeared.

Telephone lines into Christchurch were overloaded and many calls could not go through.

- NZPA