how extract number of topics from SEARCH result?

I know that the Topic count plugin is broken, so I try to find an other solution.

Using the SEARCH function, I can display the numer of files found, but how can I get rid of the phrase, or other question, how can I GET the number of topics and write it where I want:

Foswiki's Main Web has

%SEARCH{ 
   "1" 
   type="query"
   web="Main"
   excludetopic="Web*,Category*,*Template,*Form"
   nosummary="on" 
   nosearch="on" 
   nototal="off" 
   noheader="off" 
   format=""
}%

topics.

gives me:

Foswiki's Main Web has
Number of topics: 8494
topics.

I want to see

Foswiki's Main Web has 5038 topics.

-- LieVen - 05 May 2014

Try

Foswiki's Main Web has 8494 topics.

Foswiki's Main Web has %SEARCH{ 
   "1" 
   type="query"
   web="Main"
   excludetopic="Web*,Category*,*Template,*Form"
   nosummary="on" 
   nosearch="on" 
   nototal="on" 
   noheader="on" 
   format=""
   footer="$ntopics"
}% topics.

-- GeorgeClark - 05 May 2014