A MASSIVE cyclone crashed into northeastern Australia yesterday, ripping roofs from buildings and cutting power to thousands of homes, but leaving the scale of disaster unknown as officials and residents holed up while the tempest raged.

A massive cyclone was tonight battering north-eastern Australia, tearing roofs off buildings, toppling trees and cutting power to thousands.

A Garda helicopter was tonight carrying out a search over Co Monaghan for a large black cat.

A BRITISH teenager who was lost on an Australian mountain for more than three days escaped her ordeal

A British teenager who was lost for three days in an Australian rainforest today told how she survived her ordeal by eating chewing gum.

Missing British tourist Louise Saunders has turned up safe and well after becoming lost in a dense rainforest in Australia, police said today.

Helicopters and army trackers were brought in today to help search for a British teenager missing in tropical northeast Australia.