Couple 'not surprised by' 50-degree heat during Hajj

A couple who thought they had lost more than £20,000 over a Hajj pilgrimage have now completed the "marvellous" trip.

Mohamed and Rahma Omar, from Braunstone in Leicester, set off for Mecca on 3 June for Eid-al-Adha.

The couple thought their dreams had been "dashed" after their flight tickets failed to arrive, but they were refunded nearly £20,000, six months after their first complaint to provider Nusuk Hajj.

This refund allowed them to visit the holy site in Saudi Arabia this month, where they took precautions to cope in the temperatures of almost 50C (122F).

Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, is a religious requirement for all Muslims who can afford it.

After returning on Friday, Mr Omar, 67, said: "We had so many seminars to let us know what would happen over there, so we were well prepared."

This included the use of special silver umbrellas that are designed to shield people from the sun.

At least 1,301 people died during Hajj, Saudi Arabia said, with more than three-quarters of those not holding official permits, according to the official Saudi news agency SPA.

Mr Omar added: "We were told there would be a lot of walking. Probably up to five hours for those ritual performances. So we were aware of that as well.

"We were advised not to use or drink any cold drinks. We have to use mild water and mild juices."

He said that those precautions were the reasons why he and his wife stayed safe on their journey.

"The heat was bearable," Mr Omar said. "We were already psychologically prepared, so we were not surprised by the heat."

He said he only saw one person collapse due to the heat during the trip while on a bus, but that the individual recovered immediately.

Follow BBC Leicester on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected] or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210.