A NORTH YORKSHIRE woman has escaped with her life after drifting through African waters for six hours - an experience her boyfriend did not survive.

Lucy Stone, aged 32, from Tollerton, near Easingwold, had been sailing around the coast of Africa last Saturday with her boyfriend, Brad Long, a Briton who was based in Malawi.

Lucy, a former pupil at The Mount School and St Peter's School in York, had taken her pet kitten on the voyage, but when their 45-foot yacht dropped anchor in Maputo harbour, just off the Mozambique coast, the kitten leapt into the water.

Lucy swam after her pet and managed to save it while Brad successfully plucked the two of them from the choppy waters in a small dinghy he had launched from the yacht.

But Brad then realised he had forgotten the oars and the small craft began drifting away from the yacht. Brad dived back into the water and attempted to retrieve the oars from the yacht.

That was the last Lucy saw of her boyfriend of five years. He was pulled beneath the waves by strong undercurrents and his body was not found for another three days.

Lucy, alone with her cat, on the Indian Ocean in the dead of night began drifting out to sea. Eventually she reached an island, and was rescued. Her mother, Dr Audrey Stone, speaking to the Evening Press from her Tollerton home, said: "Lucy is absolutely devastated. I am so relieved that my daughter is safe but feel dreadfully sorry for Brad's parents."

Lucy's father, Dr Weland Stone, is in Mozambique and is hoping to bring her home at the beginning of next week.

Updated: 11:02 Saturday, June 30, 2001