A couple is stuck in a luxury all-inclusive hotel in Morocco after new Covid restrictions scuppered their plans to fly home to Britain.
Chloe Cervone and partner Lucy Ross were nearing the end of a fortnight break to the North African holiday hotspot when the Moroccan Government axed flights to and from the UK.
The flight ban came into effect at midnight , after being announced on Wednesday as it was reported that numbers in the UK have sat above 40,000 for seven days in a row.
The Foreign Office has subsequently updated its Morocco travel advice to explain: "The Moroccan Government has announced the suspension for an unspecified period of direct flights between Morocco and the UK (and Germany and The Netherlands) with effect from midnight 20 October”.
As a result airlines and tour operators have been forced to cancel flights and holidays with very little notice.
Chloe and Lucy had been due to jet home on Thursday night.
However, according to Teesside Live reports, the new travel rules scuppered that - as well as Chloe's plans to sell ice creams from her business in the seaside town.
"We were supposed to fly out last night, but the flight was cancelled. We have been told it is going to be rescheduled for tonight, but there is still so much uncertainty," said Chloe, who runs Flows Flavours Ice Cream.
Their travel saga means they are having to sit tight inside the Hotel Riu Palace Tikida Taghazout.
Located near sandy beaches, the all-inclusive is described on TripAdvisor as having the "highest standards in terms of luxury, excellence and sophistication", with five bars, a steakhouse and even a patisserie.
While Chloe admits it is "gorgeous", they are still trying to find out when their flight to Manchester will eventually happen.
"We have spoken to our reps this morning, but they have told us they don't know what is happening," she added.
"They will update us at 6PM tonight to let us know if we can go home or not, but it seems very unlikely."
'I' am not complaining though as it is paradise out here in an empty resort and just what the Flows Flavours Ice Cream team needed after a busy summer selling ice cream in Whitby.."
However, their story serves as a stark reminder as to the potential perils of travelling during this pandemic.
While British holidaymakers have flocked to tourist destinations since the rules were relaxed, the UK's spiralling infection rate could potentially see other countries follow Morocco's lead.
The country suspended all flights to Britain - as well as Germany and Holland - from 23:59 BST on Wednesday until further notice.
The action comes amid fears the UK's infection rate is starting to once again spiral out of control. Current figures show our infection rate is around 45 times higher than Morocco's.
There are growing concerns that fresh restrictions may be needed over the winter, such as face masks, to ease pressure on the NHS.
Yet while they wait to find out when they can return, Chloe used her firm's Facebook page to send a message back home that things weren't too bad.
Posting a picture of her sun-drenched resort, she added the caption: "Stuck in paradise (what a shame).
"We were hoping to be back out this weekend serving you your favourite sweet treats, but due to these unforeseen circumstances we will have to wait and see."
