THE collapse of travel firm Thomas Cook has left thousands of passengers from the UK stranded abroad and has resulted in the closure of the company’s high street shops.

In the wake of the collapse the government has launched the biggest peacetime repatriation to bring home any travellers stranded abroad.

But this news will be of little comfort for the staff and customers of Thomas Cook’s Whitchurch branch, who will now be counting the cost of alternative plans.

Jenni Jarvis, from Whitchurch, was one of those effected by the collapse, booking her son a flight home before the news of the repatriation.

“My son had a flight booked from Manchester to Tenerife on Wednesday, took a risk on booking him a new flight just before midnight last night, on the same day from Liverpool with a £100 price increase,” said Jenni.

“This morning that flight has doubled in price.

“The poor staff though – how terrible for them.”

Billie Scane was another Thomas Cook customer and one of the thousands from across the UK stuck abroad.

“I was a customer, we are in Rhodes,” said Billie. “Due to fly home Wednesday, don’t know what’s happening yet.”

The Government is now working with the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to help passengers return to the UK.

Depending on their location, this will be either on CAA-operated flights or by using existing flights with other airlines.

This will apply to both ATOL protected passengers and those who are not protected.

Meanwhile the CAA say where possible they are aiming for the repatriation flights to be as close as possible to the original return time and date.

Different repatriation arrangements are being made for different locations, and details of new flights back to the UK should be checked.

In a small number of cases, passengers may be asked to book their own return flights on existing flights with other airlines and claim the cost of this back.

Holidaymakers yet to travel abroad are now having to seek compensation and the CAA will be launching a refund service on Monday, September 30.