Stranded Devon holidaymaker has nightmare journey

Lesley-Ann Simpson travelled home by plane, coach, ferry, taxi and car

A Devon woman has spent 66 hours trying to get home after flight bans led to her catching a plane, coach, boat and taxi before driving back from Bristol.

Lesley-Ann Simpson, from Plymouth, left Egypt early on Thursday, but did not get home until late on Saturday night.

The charity fundraiser flew from Egypt to Paris where she caught a coach to Caen and then a ferry to Portsmouth.

She then shared a taxi to Bristol Airport to pick up her car before driving back home to Plymouth.

Unforgettable trip

Ms Simpson's journey was the result of flight restrictions being imposed across UK controlled airspace by the air traffic control body Nats.

It followed concerns by experts that rock, glass and sand particles in a cloud of volcanic ash from Iceland could jam aircraft engines.

Restrictions are currently extended until at least 1900 BST on Monday.

It's not people having an extended holiday and a brilliant time, it's chaos

Lesley-Ann Simpson, stranded traveller

But Air Southwest, which operates from Plymouth, and Exeter-based airline Flybe has now halted all flights scheduled for Monday.

Ms Simpson said that the return trip was "chaos" and that she saw "the best and worst of humanity" when fights and arguments broke out as people struggled to find ways to return home.

"It's not people having an extended holiday and a brilliant time, it's chaos," she said.

"I look at it as an adventure and it's something I will never forget.

"I've seen the best and the worst of humanity - some people just turn into monsters in crowds and some people are just angels."