The mother of a teenager caught up in the fighting in Israel has spoken of her traumatic experience.

Avigail Mond, 15, who lives in Israel with her parents Pamela and Peter Mond, both 56, was caught up in a heavy rocket attack.

It happened in the small town of Tzfat, near Kiryat Shmonah, in the north of Israel last month as she walked from her sister's home.

Mrs Mond, originally from Hove, and Mr Mond, a social worker originally from Rottingdean, went to Israel 30 years ago, where they met and married.

They settled and had four children - Saul, 24, who is in the Army in Gaza, Hava, 22, Atara, 20, and Avigail.

Avigail was carrying her sister Atara's three-month-old baby across the road to her parents' home when the first bomb landed to her left.

Mrs Mond, a drama therapist whose parents still live in Hove, said: "She heard a strange noise in the sky and the bomb fell between her and a 17-year-old boy she knew.

"She was paralysed with fear and the boy dragged her and the baby to our house, which was half a minute away.

"I was having a rest and I thought there had been an earthquake because the whole house shook.

"My husband jumped up and said he could see Avigail.

"I was on the phone to my other daughter who was worried and we were all crying.

"The baby was covered in dust and bits and pieces but he slept through it all."

Mrs Mond and Avigail went to an air raid shelter where they stayed for three hours while Mr Mond helped guide people to safety.

Mrs Mond said: "Avigail decided she wanted to go back outsideto see her father.

"As the two of them walked across the road, another bomb fell to their right.

Mrs Mond said: "My husband fell on top of her to protect her.

"My daughter was traumatised and my husband brought her over to the air raid shelter and then said We are leaving now'."

The family left without any of their possessions and drove to Tiberius, near the Sea of Galilee.

There they had to go into another air raid shelter after nine rockets fell.

They left Tiberius and travelled to Jerusalem where they stayed for two weeks.

Mrs Mond and Avigail then left for a pre-planned holiday in Britain.

Mrs Mond said: "There were very kind people in Jerusalem who took us in because we had nothing.

"We had booked tickets to come over to England and Avigail said she still wanted to go so she could tell her story to people over here."

Avigail and her mother arrived in Britain two weeks ago and have given talks in Brighton and London to people who have wanted to hear their story.

Mr Mond and the rest of the family have gone back to Tzfat.

Mrs Mond, who returned to Israel with her daughter last night, said: "We want to tell people how in an instant your life can change.

"Hundreds of children are in trauma in Israel just like Avigail was.

"But we feel we want to go back.

"We have done enough here and now we have to get back and start rebuilding the community."