The Costa Concordia lists after hitting a reef off Tuscany

A Kent couple who survived the Italian cruise ship disaster have spoken of their terrifying ordeal after arriving home.

John and Mandy Rodford, from Wainscott, near Rochester, had been celebrating their fourth wedding anniversary when disaster struck.

The pair returned to Britain last night as the owners of the cruise liner said they believe the ship's captain made significant errors - and failed to follow emergency procedures.

Six people are known to have died and more than a dozen are still unaccounted for after the Costa Concordia crashed into rocks on Friday night.

The Rodfords, of Bogarde Drive, told how their safety drill was not due until 5pm the next day.

John, 46, originally had to talk 45-year-old Mandy into going on the Italian cruise because of her dislike of boats.

That reluctance was forgotten when the couple settled down to dinner on Friday night.

But the blissful evening turned into a nightmare when the ship hit a reef off Tuscany.

John said: "The lights went out and then the boat starting to tilt. All the plates were coming off the tables and smashing.

"It was like bedlam then and everyone was getting lifejackets.

"There was no order - if there was a boat you got in it. People were getting in our boat when it was full."

"all the plates were coming off the tables and smashing…” – mandy rodford

The pair managed to get into a lifeboat moments before the boat lurched to its side.

Many said: "Everybody was shouting in their different languages, but you didn't know what was going on at all.

"We just had to use our instincts and follow other people because you couldn't understand anything at all."