Pope tells of relief at hearing parents were alive

RTÉ pundit Brent Pope told of his relief yesterday at hearing his elderly parents were still alive at his childhood home in Christchurch.

But Ireland’s highest profile New Zealander said he is still anxiously waiting to hear from many of his friends who lived in the centre of the devastated city.

He told the Tubridy Show he spent a few worrying hours trying to get through to his parents on their home phone in the earthquake zone.