STRANDED BRITS and a touch of the Dunkirk spirit have seen thousands beat the travel chaos caused by airlines being grounded as the skies were closed over northern Europe. BayRadio - in conjunction with The Sun newspaper and award winning Jon Gaunt's popular SunTalk show - organised three coaches to drive 150 people back to Blighty on Wednesday 21st April with a second convoy of three coaches repeating the trip on Thursday 22nd April.
BayRadio director Andy Stammers said the 'phones went into "meltdown" when the first 150 seats were taken within 40 minutes - the second offer of a free trip also being snapped up. Andy told RTN: "We could have filled the coaches 10 times over. The telephones went into meltdown on Tuesday when the free offer was first announced and we were still getting calls at midnight. "It illustrates just how many people are actually stranded here - and how many listeners BayRadio has.
"There were calls from as far away as Almeria and Malaga. There were all sorts of stories. People were desperate to get back because a relative had died, children were due to sit exams, and people running out of medication".
Writer: Jack Troughton of Round Town News
The Thank You's
"What a relief to be back in UK - never thought I would say that! You saved us a 10 day delay in Spain which, as much as we would have enjoyed it, we would have experienced great problems, not least being over a week late for work for my companion! Thanks to Wiseman's Dairy for free milk and biscuits while we were in Benidorm and a BIG THANK YOU to BayRadio and The Sun without whom, our safe return would not have been possible." - Rosemary Dawe
"We would just like to say a very big thank you to BayRadio and The Sun newspaper for getting us home with the use of Clarkes coaches of London, because without you we would still be waiting to get home. Once again... THANK YOU!" - Bob and Deana Coulson
"It is such a relief to be home and I just wanted to say thanks for all your efforts. It was a fun journey with great camaraderie." - Norma Bilsborough
"Thank you so much BayRadio for helping me to get back home to London. I am so grateful for you going to all the effort to organise the coaches with The Sun to help get people home. THANK YOU SO MUCH!" - Sarah Sutherland
"I should just like to say a huge thank you to everyone involved in getting the stranded airline passengers back to the UK. My step-daughter has just let me know that she is safely back in London and can resume her post teaching primary school children first thing in the morning. Many, many thanks to all." - Gill Kaye
"A big thank you to BayRadio in conjunction with The Sun for getting my sister and the kids back to the UK yesterday FREE OF CHARGE! Thank you very much" - Kim Sparrow
"Thank you BayRadio and the Sun Newspaper for the information regarding the Sun Bus to Central London leaving Benidorm. My daughter is a newly qualified teacher, without the facility of a bottomless credit card. It was like winning the lottery yesterday when she heard the news on your radio station and managed to book a place for her return. I just wanted to let you know how appreciative she is to you and The Sun." - Georgina Harvey
"Thank you BayRadio for getting Jamie and Seb safely back to England. Best radio station on the Costas." - Silvia Barnish
