THREE Tenby lads, currently stuck in New Zealand during the coronavirus pandemic, are desperately hoping to be able to come home.

Tom Murphy, Tom James, and Fraser Finlay are currently stuck in Auckland, and are facing an uncertain future.

Fraser told the Western Telegraph: “Me and two friends are currently stuck in New Zealand with little money, resources, and no definite accommodation after Friday.

“We are currently outside the embassy and they have told us: ‘You need to leave, there’s nothing we can do and we don’t know what you should do,’ they then walked off and locked doors.

“We’ve been given no information and are expected to just get by. We need to get these stories out there to apply as much pressure as possible.

“There are about 50-60 other people standing here alongside us.

“We’ve spent £1,700 on flights in the last 24 hours, all cancelled; the other boys have also had £1,000’s in flights, cancelled.

“Luckily I managed to negotiate accommodation by sending out a cry for help, essentially an Air B and B. Managed to secure a one-bed apartment between three for £300 a week. Best I could do without us having to travel, which wouldn’t have been feasible with all our bags and food we’ve had to buy and no car.

“We just want some information that’ll give us some sort of idea as to how long this will be.

“The worst thing about it all is that we are finding all the important information out from the wrong places. There’s not somewhere you can look and trust the information. The airlines aren’t telling us the flights are cancelled we are having to find out via the news. It’s frustrating.”

Tom’s sister Nia, in an impassioned plea on Facebook, said: “Thousands of people, many of which have loved ones worried sick about them are stranded in foreign countries with no way possible of returning home. It is understandable that the foreign embassies and airlines/travel agents are having a vast majority of phone calls and emails, but what is actually being done to help these people in need?

“Imagine being abandoned abroad in a foreign country, with no income, money running low and no idea how long it will be until they can return home. In some cases, many individuals are fearing that they will be left with no place to stay, no food, and essentially left homeless the other side of the world to their loved ones.

"Please I ask that if we all keep sharing? We will hopefully get through to the government and get the help that is needed for those vulnerable individuals with no way to turn.

"Even if it means that they cannot return home, I am just asking that these individuals get the financial support they need to keep them well and in a safe place.

"Help us put all of our minds at ease, all of us who have loved ones stranded with nowhere to turn, worrying about what might happen next, help us keep our family members and friends who are stuck abroad safe and well.

"If anyone is in a similar situation and has loved ones abroad who are unable to return home and are worried please do not hesitate to message me, if we stand together and keep sharing to try and help then they will hopefully receive the help that they need."

Nia told the Western Telegraph: “It’s very stressful at home! My parents are worried sick, we’ve all been individually on our laptops emailing everyone possible and at the same time on the phone to someone different, just trying to get through to anyone we can who can provide us some helpful and relevant information but so far we’ve received the minimum information that we could have.

“We’ve basically been told that we just need to sit tight and wait until the government makes a decision as to what they’re going to do with everyone stuck abroad.”