PARENTS of a university graduate stranded abroad are pleading for her safe return following a lock down by the Peruvian government.

Tess Bettison from Bowes, in Teesdale, began her travels on February 1, with a friend she met studying at the University of Birmingham.

It was a chance for the 22-year-old to explore the world before trying to find a career in media and communications in Manchester.

Miss Bettison and her friend Stevie Chandler had been to Argentina, Chile, and Bolivia as part of their five month adventure before being quarantined in Peru last week.

The pair are now in the Wild Rover Cusco, a hostel in south eastern Peru, near the Urubamba Valley of the Andes mountain range.

They are among about 140 tourists stranded in the hostel following the closure of Peru’s borders and airports.

Miss Bettison's parents Mike and Rosie said they feel powerless and would like advice on how to bring their daughter home.

The former Teesdale School pupil was able to book flights from Cusco to Bogota and then on to Heathrow but after one of the flights was cancelled she has been stuck in the country.

Mrs Bettison said: “Tess’ spirits are reasonable considering what has happened but as parents it is worrying.We know she feels safe in the hostel and has food and soap but we feel powerless as haven’t been given any direction by any of the authorities. We have no idea how long it will be until she comes home.

“We just want a decision to be made which we can realistically help with and hope other people can help too."

Miss Bettison is part of a group of British tourists stranded in the hostel who claim the only advice they have been given is to keep in touch with the airlines.

Together they have collected details of everyone who is stuck in Peru in a database – including full health and contact details – which comprises of 250 people.

They claim the data shows that many of those stranded suffer from very serious health conditions that make them vulnerable to coronavirus.

The group say there have been reports of several other countries, including Poland, Spain and Israel, arranging flights from Peru and are calling on the UK Government to intervene and arrange flights back to the UK for its residents also.