A Croydon woman is among those left stranded by the UK flight ban due to the volcanic cloud.

Journalist Alice Castle flew to Barbados on April 8 with her daughters and was set to return on April 18.

However, the delays have meant she will not return until April 24.

She said: "I was texted by a friend on the Thursday morning saying 'you may have a problem, some volcano has erupted in Europe'.

"To be honest, I thought nothing of it at that point, then I saw the BBC website and gradually realised this was serious.

"I kept hoping that it would have dispersed by Sunday but on Saturday I got a very terse text from Virgin saying the flight was cancelled.

"I immediately rang my travel agent and they confirmed that the earliest flight out was going to be April 24 - if things went well."

However, she said she was aware of others in a similar - if not worse - position.

"The girl I spoke to had had to tell a couple in Shanghai that their earliest flight was going to be on May 12," Alice added.

"I've also heard of someone who took two days to get back from Naples on a train with no loos.

"I have friends stuck in South Africa and Florida - even though we've been given new provisional flights, we don't know if they will be cleared to leave.

"I am very lucky as I'm staying with a friend who has been incredibly kind about us staying on, but I really feel for all the people in swanky hotels who booked a few days as a treat and are stuck paying huge bills."

Yet despite her optimism through the ordeal, she said one of her daughters was missing a particular treat.

"My daughters are missing school, my youngest was playing the Wicked Witch of the West in the Wizard of Oz on Tuesday and is devastated to be missing it and letting people down.

"But when I rang the school to explain, I was told that at least four other girls were stuck and they might well cancel it.

"The only contact I've had with Virgin is the text cancelling the flight, and I'm not even sure if my travel insurance will cover additional expenses because I can't download the policy here.

"On the bright side, it's a beautiful place to be stuck."