EAST Lancashire holidaymakers finally returned home today as their nightmare travel ordeal came to an end.

Planes had been grounded for nearly six days due to the volcanic ash cloud from Iceland.

Manchester Airport normally sees around 45,000 people a day at this time of year, but only 14,500 passengers hit arrival and departure lounges as airspace restrictions were lifted.

Shabaz Sikander, 39, of Colne Road, Burnley, was anxiously waiting for his mother, who had her flight home from Saudi Arabia diverted to Istanbul last Thursday.

Aziza Begum, 62, a diabetic who suffers from kidney problems and arthritis, made a pilgrimage to Mecca with her daughter Shabana Mahmood, 43 and husband Asif, 52, three weeks ago.

But she was left in Turkey without her wheelchair, any medication, money, luggage or fresh clothes.

Mr Sikander said: “Turkish Airlines put them up in a hotel for four days but then they had to pay £90 a night. Mum ran out of medication so we had to send them £400. They were very upset.

“I'm just so glad they are back.”

Mrs Mahmood said Turkish hoteliers were exploiting the situation.

She said: “Everyone had put their prices up, they had even doubled the prices for food. Nobody from the airline would tell us anything.

“I have been in these clothes for six days and they have lost our luggage and mum's wheelchair.”

Stephen and Eileen Nuttall, of Feniscowles, Blackburn, were forced to pay another £100 towards flights and accommodation when they were stranded in Majorca for an extra day.

Mr Nuttall, 60, said: “When we got on the plane today there were about 20 empty seats. It's crazy when you think everybody is trying to get back and we knew people who couldn't get a flight.”

Friends Patrick Costello, 20, of Bankside, Bacup, and Sean Greenwood, 20, of Whitworth, said they hadn't slept for more than 24 hours after taking three days and several coaches to get back from a lads' holiday in Portugal via Spain, Paris, Calais, Dover and Leeds.

Burnley fan Sean spent his 20th birthday trying to get through customs at Dover. He said: “The coach was awful. I've not slept properly since Sunday.”

Sharon Spencer, 45, of Lumb, Rossendale, and Alison Whitehead, 47, of Higherford, Barrowford, had to spend nearly £600 between them for five extra days at their hotel in Malaga while waiting for a flight home.

Sharon, whose daughters Sophie, 19, Sarah, 25, and Steph, 22, were also trapped in Dubai and Milan this week, said a lack of communication had been the biggest problem but British spirit had seen them through.

She said: “Everyone had to pull together and we made a lot of new friends exchanging stories. There was a good camaraderie and that was nice.

“Sophie isn't due back until May 2 and she should have been back on Monday. Sarah and Steph have had to get a taxi from Milan!”