A RYEDALE woman is among thousands of UK nationals abroad who are trying to get home during the current coronavirus crisis.

Lauren Kindlen, who lives in Swinton, has been on a year’s working visa in Fukui, Japan.

The 22-year-old has a flight booked home for today (Wednesday), but her mum, Sharon, who co-owns Bite sandwich shop in Malton, is concerned it may be cancelled.

Sharon said: “Lauren had to book her ticket in advance to prove she was going to leave again in a year - this was booked for March 31.

“With the current situation I begged her to get in touch with the airline and see if it could be brought forward.

“They said it could but at a massive price as there was no problem with the flight, it was still going ahead to schedule apart from via a different route.

“At the weekend they emailed her to say that Nagoya airport was closed and Cathay Pacific were now grounded so her flight was thus cancelled and she’d to contact the airline.”

Sharon added: “She was told by them to get in touch with her travel agency but they are not taking calls anymore due to high demand.

“Everything is so confusing at the moment and changing by the day.

Sharon said: “The only flight left is on April 1 and it’s going to cost £1,500, so I’ve set up a funding page.

“People have been amazing and on the strength of that I’ve borrowed the rest to get her home.

“Unfortunately, the loan is not a long-term one, they want it back ASAP, so I’m still pushing the fund desperately.

“I’ve had to close my business, I’m self-employed so there’s absolutely nothing coming in. It’s a desperate situation.

“At the moment, the flight she’s booked on tomorrow is still going ahead. However, most of the others are slowly being cancelled. My stress levels are exploding and I won’t be happy until she’s home.

“If she can’t get back then she has no job, no money and nowhere to stay, so as her mum I’m frantic.”

Meanwhile, Peter Fambely, from Farndale, said his son Edward, 28, and partner Nathalie, had managed to get a flight out of Peru on Monday night.

Peter said: “We got a text yesterday lunchtime to say Edward and Nathalie were back in the UK.

“The last time we spoke he was asked to travel to the airport and was trying to book a taxi.”

Peter said the couple had been travelling and were planning to return from South America in mid-April.

“Updated Government guidance recommended that all British subjects return as soon as possible.

“However, Edward and Nathalie were unable to bring forward their April booking.

“They managed to get seats on a flight due to return to the UK after paying out £700 each, but when turning up at the airport they were turned away by armed guards who told them all flights were cancelled.”

Peter added: “They had tried contacting the airline and asked for their cash back but were told it is non-refundable but they may get future travel vouchers.

“There had been talk of a Columbian Airways plane being chartered to get travellers home but there was no further news on this other than it was going to cost £2,400.”

However following Monday’s announcement of a new Government partnership with airlines to fly back more tourists stranded abroad due to the coronavirus pandemic, Peter said the couple had managed to secure a flight.

“They had been living in a hostel with no confirmed cases which meant they were free to come home,” he added.

“Now that they have landed back in the country they will have to self-isolate for 14 days but it is so good to know they are home.”

To donate to Sharon’s fundraising to help bring Lauren home, go to go fundme.com/f/eauax-please-help-my-daughter