A COUPLE forced to fork out hundreds of pounds to get home when their Ryanair flight was cancelled were sent compensation - of £8.46.

Natalie King and Keith Page said they had no choice but to book alternative flights after being told they would have to wait a week for a replacement flight from Krakow to Bournemouth.

They paid £390 to get home via Warsaw and London City Airport, as well as £100 in a taxi from Krakow to their new departure airport, Katowice.

Natalie, who is three months pregnant, described the flight cancellation as "the most stressful experience of my whole life" but said a bigger shock was to come when Ryanair finally offered compensation.

"I could not believe my eyes when I saw it" said Natalie, a self-employed nanny who lives in Rotary Close, Wimborne with Keith and their four-year-old daughter.

"There was no way we could have waited a week for another flight. We had a child and work to get back to. I don't have a clue how they came up with the figure of £8.46 but it was insulting - we spent £490 to get back."

Natalie and Keith, who works for Flexicovers in Poole, had travelled to Krakow on Monday September 13 for a four-night break.

She told the Daily Echo: "It is the first time we had been away as a couple for 10 years and we were really looking forward to it.

"We had a lovely time but it was completely ruined by the journey home."

Natalie said the flight was scheduled for 5pm, then changed to 5.50pm, then to 7.40pm before finally being cancelled.

"There was a massive queue in the airport and we were told we could either have compensation or another flight. When we logged in online we realised we would have to wait a week for a flight.

"We stood in a queue for three hours before deciding to get another flight. We had no choice.

"Everyone was frantic - I have no idea how the other people got home."

When contacted by the Daily Echo, a spokesman for Ryanair said: "“We have resolved this with the customer directly."