A RYEDALE woman is safely home after struggling to get a flight back from Japan.

Lauren Kindlen, 22, who lives in Swinton, has been on a year’s working visa in Fukui, Japan.

With her booked flight cancelled, Lauren’s mum, Sharon, was forced to set up a go-fund me page to help raise £1,500 to pay for a plane ticket.

Lauren said: “For the first 10 months I was there I had a great time and made a lot of amazing memories.

“Then when the coronavirus started becoming a bigger thing, it put a big downer on the trip. I spent the last three weeks of my trip extremely stressed out about getting home.

“Getting the initial flight was easy, I booked a return flight so I had a round trip ticket and was due to fly home on March 31, but then when the virus started being

a big thing, it became very worrying.”

Lauren added: “Obviously because a lot of flights were cancelled and people wanted to return home, the tickets were unbelievably high.

“I paid more for my return flight, than I did for the initial round trip flights.

“When I got my ticket home I was still very worried that it would get cancelled because so many flights had been and I was worried until my flight left.

“I am so happy and relieved to be home, unfortunately because of the current situation I’m not able to see most of my family and friends, but at least I’m finally back.

“ I know that at least if anything happens I’m in a country where I can actually understand the guidelines and advice being given.”