A MAN today told how he sparked an international search when he was thrown off a plane for being too drunk.

Stuart Dalziel, 41 from Whitehaven Close, Blackburn, flew from Blackpool airport to Torremolinos with his son Mark and two friends for a day trip on January 27.

But he was refused entry to the flight home because of concerns he had drunk too much.

When he failed to return to Blackburn or contact his family for almost two weeks, local police launched an investigation with their Spanish counterparts.

His family feared he was dead but he turned up at the foreign office in Malaga this week.

Stuart explained how he lost his passport, spent his money on food and accommodation and walked for nine days in a desperate attempt to find help.

He said: "An old couple complained because I was drunk and they thought I would cause trouble so I wasn't allowed on the plane.

"I just sat in the airport wondering what to do. I went to the Easyjet desk and they said the next plane would be in three days."

He spent the night in the airport but said he was taken to Malaga by a British couple as he tried to find a quicker way back to Britain.

"I found a hotel and I stayed for one night then in the morning I was walking about trying to figure out what to do.

"It was getting dark so I booked into another hotel and I got something to eat and my money ran out.

"Once that happened I was just dossing about under trees and on doorsteps."

Luckily a good Samaritan took Stuart to a nearby hostel where he was able to wash and was given a clean pair of clothes.

But in a state of confusion he left his passport in his dirty trousers, which he left behind as he tried to find home.

And his nightmare got worse when he fell and broke his arm.

He said he visited three hospitals to receive treatment but got no help from the police.

"I went to the police every day and I stopped them in the street but they wouldn't do anything, they just kept telling me to go away. They weren't interested.

"It took me nine days to find the British consulate. I walked all over the place until my feet were covered with blisters."

Once at the consulate Stuart's family were contacted and he was given an emergency passport to get back to Britain.

He said: "It's just brilliant to be here. I couldn't wait to get home."

Stuart's mother and father Moira and George travelled down from Glasgow to Blackburn yesterday, with his sister Ann and niece Tracy.

And 65-year-old Moira said: "It's just great to have him home but I'm absolutely disgusted with the way they've treated him."