'Stranded in Egypt and now my girlfriend is three months pregnant'

Rob and Kelly have been stranded in Egypt since January.

Rob Stevens and girlfriend Kelly Wood had planned a month's getaway with another couple after a tough year due to the pandemic.

However, before their return Egypt went on the 'red list' and in spite of a refund of their £2,000 Easy Jet air fares, couldn't afford the £3,500 hotel quarantine scheme in the UK plus new flight tickets.

Since then they have had 15 flights cancelled and rather than pay expensive hotel fees in Egypt they are trying to make their money stretch by renting an apartment for a year for £1,600.

Since being stranded in Egypt Rob Stevens and his girlfriend Kelly Wood have rescued 23 dogs.

"We've tried everything to get home, contacting Easy Jet, MPs, councillors and even appealing to the Prime Minister," said Rob, who owns the Manhattan Show Bar and units on Hardy's Market.

"But I'd like to stress that we haven't asked for a penny from anyone to help us.

"The Embassy in Egypt has been amazing and even arranged for me to have a work permit so I could earn some money singing.

"But it's not like the UK - in Egypt you earn £25 a night. But the cost of living here is cheap so it helped pay for food."

Although there are no flights on the horizon, they are now expecting one happy event on their return - a baby.

"Kelly ran out of her contraceptive pill and we found out the Egyptian one doesn't work and she is now pregnant," said Rob.

"But I proposed to her while I was filming her in front of a pyramid and we are both happy in spite of it all."

Having run the food bank in Ingoldmells during the pandemic, the couple have found a new cause to occupy their time while in Egypt - rescuing street dogs.

"We’ve helped 23 puppies and we have got a couple of vets that support us with great prices," said Rob.

"There are so many street dogs here. A St Bernard was on a one- meter chain in the sun with a broken leg.

"She cost around 10,000le to have operated on and she is coming on very well and is one of the dog we are bringing back with us as the heat here is just too much.

"We have launched an appeal for them and will be bringing some back to the UK," said Rob. "There has been a night in a local bar to help raise money for a puppy that needed a leg amputated and the support from the people back home and here has been great.

"In the meantime I'm trusting my staff to look after the food bank and my businesses - they have been amazing."