AN ISLAND couple has told the County Press they are stranded in South Africa, after two flights were cancelled at short notice because of coronavirus.

Frank Badzek, 74, who is disabled and a diabetic and his partner Esme Johnston, 60, were due to fly out of Cape Town in March. 

The pair say they spent 36 hours at the airport ‘shoulder to shoulder with pensioners and tourists queuing desperately trying to get a flight back to the UK’ and described the atmosphere as ‘complete panic.’

They are now on lockdown for three weeks and say they do not know what will happen next.

Frank Badzek said: "We have little money and only a credit card which we have almost used up booking flight tickets. We have no access to banks as they do not have email addresses and they are locked down. We have no indication of when we can come home." 

Crowded conditions and levels of poverty have led to a rise in violence in the region, say the couple. They are worried the situation will deteriorate further.

On Tuesday, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab announced a £75 million package of arrangements to fly British people home.

Some of those flights have already landed in the UK.

However, Frank and Esme say that although they have been in contact with the British embassy, they are still waiting for positive news.