by Sarah Shaffi and Melanie Wimmer

People across the Towns have been unable to fly back home after the Easter holiday because of the volcanic ash which restricted air travel for almost a week.

Among those stranded abroad are dozens of pupils and teachers from schools across Medway who did not get back in time for the school term.

British airspace was closed to all flights last Thursday after a cloud of ash from a volcano in Iceland started drifting across Europe.

The measure was taken because of a fear of volcanic ash damaging planes. Tiny particles of glass, rock and sand in the ash cloud pose a serious risk to aircraft engines.

Airspace was fully reopened on Wednesday but there is a backlog of people waiting to fly both in and out of Britain.

Rochester resident Jill Humphrey was in Thailand with son Jack, 15, and partner Tony O’Leary when British airspace was closed.

They had spent two weeks in a rural part of the country but on Monday had to make their way to Bangkok after their flight was cancelled.

Speaking from Thailand the Orion Road resident said: “We are on the 23rd floor of a multi-story hotel.

“Bangkok is very hot and smoky, we are in the centre of the city and it is so humid, it’s just too hot and stuffy to go out for long periods."

For full story and roundup see Friday's Medway Messenger.