A 73-year-old woman from Truro has returned home to the United Kingdom after being stranded in Dubai for eight days during escalating conflict in the Middle East. Lenise Blom had been visiting the United Arab Emirates for a family reunion when military strikes involving the United States and Israel led to widespread disruption, grounding flights shortly before her scheduled departure on 1 March.

Blom described scenes of 'absolute chaos' at Dubai Airport, where flights were suspended following drone strikes. After multiple cancellations and a booking error caused by her travel agent, she was eventually rebooked and flown home. She arrived at Heathrow Airport early on Sunday morning and was reunited with her family.

Her daughter said she was safe and well and praised the airline for helping resolve the situation. Blom expressed gratitude to local radio for sharing her story, saying it helped during a distressing time. The Foreign Office has since arranged charter flights for British nationals seeking to leave the region, prioritising the most vulnerable.