A NORTH Yorkshire man who was stranded in New Zealand has safely returned home with his partner.

Alec Spowage, 24, from Selby, was working in Auckland, New Zealand, with his partner Amira Mahmoud, when the country went into lockdown.

He said that they were lucky enough to be on one of the Qatar air flights yesterday.

He added: “Due to the New Zealand government preventing domestic travel to and from airports, we were able to find a flight the night before at a price we were able to afford. We’re very relieved to be home.”

But he said there were no screening measures taken when the duo landed, adding: “They didn’t even take our temperature or ask where we had arrived from.”

He added that the couple will be self-isolating for 14 days.