Couple safe from hurricane hell (From Stroud News and Journal)

Couple safe from hurricane hell

A NEWLYWED couple who had to be evacuated from their honeymoon hotel in Mexico after Hurricane Emily struck have returned home safe and well.

Jonathon Williams and his childhood sweetheart Alison Whiting, both 25, were married at Upton St Leonards at the start of the month and jetted off on honeymoon two days later.

The couple, originally from the Five Valleys but are now living in Staines in Surrey, were due to fly home last weekend, but were put under armed guard with thousands of other tourists in a gym in Cancun when the storm hit.

Mr Williams, a policeman for the Metropolitan police, said it was not how they had expected to spend their honeymoon.

"We spent 12 hours in the shelter and the Mexican authorities looked after us as well as could be expected," he said.

"The winds reached 145mph and at the peak you could hear things falling and hitting the sides of the shelter.

"It was not the romantic meal we expected to end our honeymoon with but it will be a story to tell the children one day."

While the couple stayed at the gym, they were forced to leave their belongings behind in their hotel.

Mr Williams' mother, Stephanie Williams, 51, from Moreton Valence has been in contact with Alison's parents in Stroud.

She added: "Jonathon phoned us on the Saturday night and we thought he was going to say they were on their way home - but he said there was a hurricane and they had been evacuated.

"The main thing though is that they are safe - we were desperate to have them home because it was such a worrying time."