A KEARSLEY resident has been left feeling “helpless and abandoned” after becoming trapped in Peru.

Sheena Watson, 44, flew to the South American country for a dream trip on March 11.

However, her three-week holiday was cut short just four days later when Peru went into lockdown.

She was rushed to the airport last Monday, March 16, and has been staying at the Wyndham Hotel in Lima ever since.

Miss Watson said: “I’m just really shocked. I honestly believed in situations like this the government just swooped in and rescued stranded Brits – clearly I was deluded.

“The worst thing is not knowing what information is true, the embassy is shut and we’ve been told they’re working remotely but everyone gets the same automated reply when they try and email.

“People have tried to contact their local MP with very little response, I’ve emailed Yasmin Qureshi several times and had one personal reply last Thursday, and another one yesterday but they haven’t been very helpful.

“I’ve never felt so helpless before. I was a flight attendant for 10 years and I flew when 9/11 happened and even that seemed more organised than this is.”

Miss Watson was told at the hotel that she would have to pay $154 a night to stay, and a payment for the full quarantine period of 15 days was required before she could check in, with no information on whether she could be refunded if she left early.

Yesterday one flight left Lima to repatriate some of the 663 UK and Irish citizens stranded in Peru.

Miss Watson did not get a seat on the plane, and has no idea when the next flight will be.

She said: “I’m trying to stay positive but it’s hard knowing people are leaving but I’m still stranded.

“I work in the office for North West Ambulance Service dealing with rota issues so I am required for work on my return

“I’m just feeling so helpless and abandoned, nobody has had any official contact from the embassy other than automated emails.

“I was supposed to end my trip at Easter island on Sunday but have been stuck in the hotel since March 16.

“The frustration regarding the lack of information is awful. People are really quite positive considering the circumstances, everyone has been amazing but there is a general feeling of abandonment because you just can’t get the information.”

Miss Watson is one of a number of people still stranded at the airport in Lima.

Repatriation flights left to Israel and Mexico last Thursday, to America on Friday, and to France on Sunday.

Citizens from China, New Zealand, Australia, and Denmark are also stuck at the hotel.

Cllr Paul Heslop has received calls from four other Kearsley residents stranded in Thailand, Laos, and Spain.

He said: ‘Whilst other countries are chartering flights to get their citizens home from countries locked down due to the Coronavirus, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) along with Dominic Raab continue to spin yarns about their efforts.

“The current dereliction of duty by the FCO is one of a long list of failures that quite simply, means that our country — the UK — is turning its back on its citizens abroad.”