Coronavirus: Stranded Brit Tom Ramm says 'money running out'

A British holidaymaker who flew to Morocco for a four-day break in mid-March says he is stranded there due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Tom Ramm said his scheduled flight home on 19 March, and three others he rebooked since, were all cancelled.

He said there had been little communication from the Foreign Office or Easyjet, who he flew out with.

"I just don't know what's going on. I came out on a shoestring budget and the money is running out," he said.

The 29-year-old from Mickleton, Gloucestershire, left the UK on 15 March with a friend for "a short break, just to get some sunshine".

He said: "We were meant to be flying back on the 19 March with Easyjet. We tried speaking to customer services, but were on the phone for two-and-a-half hours only to get down to 700th in the queue and be cut off."

The tree surgeon said they were paying a reduced rate for an Airbnb in Marrakesh and were grateful to the owners but they would be left with a hefty bill when they leave.

"We are lucky the family here are allowing us to stay and we are getting three meals a day. But there is a strict lockdown and one of the ladies here said if you break it then you could be looking at a year in prison."

He added his family were "worried sick".

"We are trying to keep morale high but mental health is a factor and we've had a few teary phone calls with family back home."

Mr Ramm said the Foreign Office had offered "little to no" support. A spokesman said consular staff were aware of his situation and providing support.

"The government has partnered with a number of airlines who have committed to work together to get Brits back to the UK and up to £75m has been made available for charter flights were commercial options are no longer available," he added.

A spokesman for Easyjet said it had operated more than 650 rescue flights so far.

"We are sorry that [Mr Ramm] did not book on to any of these flights as they included services from Morocco to the UK over the last week. Unfortunately he was not contacted because he had transferred on to new flights."