Rugby star reunited with family

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Faye Peacock, wife of England's rugby league captain, describes her Thailand ordeal

England rugby league captain Jamie Peacock has been reunited with his pregnant wife and young son who were stranded for six days in Bangkok.

Faye Peacock arrived at Manchester on Monday morning with their four-year-old son, Lewis, and her mother, Pat.

They had been due to fly back to England a week ago, when the Thai capital's international airport was overrun by anti-government protesters.

"I am very happy that they are back," said Mr Peacock, a Leeds Rhinos player.

Mrs Peacock, who is seven-months pregnant, and her family were caught up in the trouble while returning home from watching Mr Peacock captain England in the Rugby World Cup in Australia.

It's brilliant to be back. I'm ecstatic but we just feel a bit strange at the moment Faye Peacock

They were eventually able to get a flight from a military airport in Bangkok to Stockholm, and then on to Manchester.

Mrs Peacock, 33, said: "It's brilliant to be back. I'm ecstatic, but we just feel a bit strange at the moment.

"I think it will not sink in for a few days. We just want to get home now. It is all a bit surreal."

Speaking about the family's experience at Bangkok's international airport, she said they had been forced to fend for themselves.

"We were left just to try and get out by ourselves," she said. "We had to get a taxi in a strange country and hope the driver was taking us to where we wanted to go."

Mrs Peacock's mother, Pat Sheffield, said: "The military airport in Bangkok is just like a cattle shed. We were there for nine hours and just desperate to get on the plane."

Meanwhile, protesters occupying the Thai capital's main airports have allowed dozens of empty planes to fly to provincial airports to pick up stranded tourists.

At least 100,000 foreign visitors have been unable to leave the country since the anti-government activists occupied the international airport last week.

Demonstrators want the government to step down, accusing it of being corrupt and hostile to the monarchy.