HOLIDAYMAKERS from East Lancashire were among thousands evacuated from Tunisia this weekend.

Dozens of emergency flights were arranged after violence swept the North African country and ousted President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali fled to Saudi Arabia.

People returning to Manchester Airport described chaotic scenes on the streets between the coastal resorts and at Monastir Airport including petrol stations set on fire, shop windows smashed and armed soldiers on the streets.

David and Barbara Beadell, of Hazeldene Avenue, Haslingden arrived back on one of the first flights.

70-year-old David said: “The first we knew of the trouble was when we were told a curfew had been put in place.

“We had been walking around the resort and thought it seemed unusually quiet and wondered why the shops were closed.

“On Wednesday we spoke to our daughters and told them not to worry and that we were away from the trouble but on Thursday we were told us to settle our bills because we were to be repatriated.

“The holiday representative advised people to stay in the hotel and away from the towns and all the bus trips were cancelled.”

Pensioner Geoff Cartwright, who is in his eighties, said he had a lucky escape when a petrol station he had just visited exploded.

Mr Cartwright, of Briercliffe Road, Burnley, said: “I only arrived in Tunisia on Wednesday and everything seemed normal.

“On Thursday I had been to the supermarket in the town of Sousse and flagged down a taxi.

“We were less then a quarter of a mile from the petrol station when the taxi driver pushed my head down between my knees and told me to keep it down.

“Just after that I heard a big whoffing sound, like there was a large draft and the explosion jerked the car.

"When I looked back the whole station was on fire.”

Adam Wallace, a security manager from Accrington, also arrived home on Saturday.

He said: “The feeling in the hotel was obviously disappointment that we have to go home but it’s one of those things, the Foreign Office made the decision and we had to go for our own safety.

“When we went to the airport it was a bit unnerving.

"There were police stood on the corners of roads and groups of people hanging about, it did feel a bit intimidating.

“But there was no animosity towards us as tourists.

"There were a few smashed up buildings, there was a petrol station that had been vandalised and there were people looting but our resort was quite a way from the trouble."