Spalding mother and kids on return flight from Jamaica after dream holiday devastated by Hurricane Melissa

A mother and her three children are flying back from their nightmare holiday which saw them caught up in the hurricane which devastated Jamaica.

Elizabeth Batterham, 45, from Spalding, took her youngsters on a dream trip to Montego Bay last Friday (October 24), only to get stranded after Hurricane Melissahit the island.

She is due to be arriving home today (Friday, October 31) on a nine hour flight to Manchester airport where she will be picked up by her fiancé Jonathan Barnett.

He said: “She is very overwhelmed as she didn’t think she was going to get home.

“They had 45 minutes to pack and get outside onto a bus which took them to Kingston airport.

“They are safe and on the flight.”

The family had just 24 hours before storms devastated parts of the area on Saturday morning (October 25) with winds of up to 185 miles per hour and were locked down in the demolished hotel ever since.

Ms Batterham will land at 5pm this afternoon and Mr Barnett will set off this morning to pick them up from Manchester.

He said: “There was a two and a half hours delay while they got everybody on buses to the airport.

“They did say they would transfer from Manchester to Gatwick which is where she flew out from.

“But how long would that take?”

The family were given limited food packages by hotel staff and had no access to running water, showers or toilets.

Mr Barnett added that he is ‘feeling alright and wants to see her get home.”