Blackpool couple stranded in Peru as the South American country goes into lockdown over coronavirus

Emma Reville, 28, of Trinity Gardens, Thornton and Ryan Craggs, 31, of Jesmond Avenue, South Shore have been in the Peru for three weeks but they were unable to fly back to the UK due to the country going into a 15-day lock down period due to the coronavirus.

The couple said they went to the British Embassy for help but that was also closed.

Emma, a social care worker, said: "Ryan and I have been travelling in Peru for 3 weeks. We arrived back in Lima on Sunday to try and rearrange our flights home as we saw a flight cancellation coming. However, it was to no avail as airlines prices had skyrocketed to thousands of pounds and we simply could not afford this. We found out last night that our flights due to leave tonight were indeed, cancelled.

"We also went to the British Embassy on Monday here in Lima at 2pm to seek further advise to be told that the Embassy was closed as we, and a Scottish national stood there in disbelief. Closed for 15 days in the most desperate time and when people like us need them most. It feels like pure abandonment."

Ryan, who is a sports centre assistant and Emma were due to buy a house together but are now using funds from their deposit to pay for accommodation and food while they are stuck in the country.

She said: "The advise from the Embassy via their Twitter is simply to find accommodation. But for how long and with what funds? How are we going to be able to sustain staying in Peru for an unplanned extra 15- 30 days whilst not having an income back home?

"There will be British Nationals here in Peru who will be on the brink of homelessness should they be left here for this extended period. They simply will not be able to afford to live with additional accommodation costs, food and water, which is not a free luxury over here.

"As previously mentioned, if we were able to afford to book new flights, which we cannot due to their astronomical prices, there are no flights to be had anyway now at this time."

The couple have also been in touch with their MPs, Blackpool South's Scott Benton and Blackpool North and Cleveleys' Paul Maynard.

Mr Maynard said: "I have been in regular contact with Emma and Ryan and understand the situation they find themselves in is extremely worrying.

“I have urged the Foreign Office to be aware of the real issue we have in Peru, and call on Dominic Raab to take action”.

Mr Benton emailed them to say he has also contacted the Foreign Office and added: "It’s an unprecedented challenge for every government to try to help their citizens but the logistics are extremely difficult."

In parliament

Earlier this week, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab made a statement to the House of Commons, and said: "Given the volume... of British nationals who are abroad, not permanently, not living abroad necessarily, but travelling abroad - to expect that the government can repatriate them all I think would be unrealistic."

In response Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry told Mr Raab about one of her constituents who is also stuck in Peru.

Telling the story of her constituent Tom who is one of 65 nationals stuck in Peru which has closed its borders, Ms Thornberry said: "Tom's flight today to Britain is cancelled and his calls to our embassy in Lima have not been answered. And why is that? Because the embassy itself has decided to close down for 15 days just when its services were needed most.

"The Secretary of State said in his statement that our consular teams are working around the clock to provide the best information to UK nationals, well I'm afraid that simply isn't the case in Tom's experience."

She added: "Across the world there are tens of thousands of British nationals in the same position as Thomas and all with the same message for the British Government - help bring us home, as far as we're concerned, our travel is essential."

Ms Thornberry said: "The Government cannot keep passing the buck to others, especially when it comes to repatriation. Yes it's difficult, yes it's expensive, but that is the nature of the crisis that we face."