Couple caught up in Rhodes wildfires were forced to walk their two children, 7 and 11, through ‘apocalyptic’ island as they battled to be evacuated

A couple caught up in the Rhodes bushfires were forced to walk through the ‘apocalyptic’ island with their two children as they fought to be evacuated.

British father Nick Stafford, 40, his wife Vicki, also 40, and their two children, Emilia, 7, and Louis, 11, faced “utter chaos” after being forced to flee their £350-a-night hotel, leaving behind three suitcases.

Mr Stafford said buses only picked up hotel workers and people with easyJet packages, leaving them with no choice but to walk to the next hotel at 11pm in 33 degree heat.

After a power cut plunged the island into darkness, they had to rely on their phone flashlights with minimal battery power, Mr Stafford said The mirror: “It was pretty apocalyptic and hard work with the kids.

“Looking ahead, the road was completely dark, but behind us the full horizon was lit up as far as you could see.”

Emilia and Louis try to rest on the hotel floor (left) and walk through the darkness after the blackout (right)

This is the view from the family hotel before they were evacuated due to the bushfires in Rhodes

Smoke rises as Rhodes faces terrifying wildfires amid blistering heatwave across Europe, forcing mass evacuations

After walking six miles, the family, who hail from Leighton Buzzard in Bedfordshire, were finally picked up by a local who took them a further two miles to another hotel.

Mr Stafford added: ‘The hotel gradually became busier, there must have been hundreds of people. We queued for two hours at the one store in the hotel for snacks.

“Breakfast at the hotel was one-on-one and it was a struggle, so we gave up on that. Ash was falling from the sky, but some people were sleeping outside on sunbeds.’

It comes as British tourists have now been told to evacuate Corfu as another Greek holiday hotspot is being devastated by bushfires and thousands of holidaymakers continue to be delayed for hours at Rhodes airport.

The Greek emergency communications service has warned people staying or living in nearly 20 parts of Corfu to evacuate to safer parts of the island.

Those in Santa, Megoula, Porta, Palia Perithia and Sinies have been evacuated to Kasiopi amid the devastating fires. Holidaymakers in Rou, Katavolo, Kentroma, Tritsi, Kokokila, Sarakiniatika, Plagia, Kalami, Vlachatika, Kavalerena should now evacuate to Ipsos. And Britons in Viglatouri and Nisaki should flee to Barbati.

It comes as tourists returning home from Rhodes warmly embrace those waiting for them at Gatwick Airport after successfully fleeing the terrifying infernos on the Greek island.

The first Britons have arrived at Gatwick Airport with a relieved smile, while hundreds more are caught up in hour-long delays at Rhodes Airport

A Welsh tourist waits for departing planes at the airport, after being evacuated after a bushfire on the island of Rhodes

As the British begin to come back, holidaymakers trapped in Rhodes describe the scenes at the airport as “absolute pandemonium” as they try to escape the bushfires that sparked the largest disaster evacuation in the country’s history.

Stranded families have told MailOnline how they were left ‘fighting for our lives’ to try to get onto boats as desperate tourists pushed children aside to force themselves aboard.

Distressed holidaymakers, including young children, lie on the ground at Rhodes airport, while others stare anxiously at the departure board as they try to flee the ‘apocalyptic’ island.

The government said on Sunday afternoon it is “actively monitoring the fires in Rhodes” and is in close contact with local authorities. The State Department has deployed a Rapid Deployment Team of five staff and four British Red Cross responders to the airport to assist British nationals.

After rival airlines TUI and Jet2 canceled flights to the island, easyJet announced that two repatriation flights will be deployed to bring more Britons back to London Gatwick, but not before tomorrow. The airline will also send another plane on Tuesday, while Ryanair has not yet announced any cancellations.

Some families said they had been told to stay but decided to flee on foot out of fear

Conor Cullen, 45, his wife Danielle, 41, and their two daughters, aged 11 and 13, say they have been left to fend for themselves.

The frustrated family, who live near Belfast, were evacuated from the Princess Beach Hotel in Kiotari at 4pm yesterday and taken to Gennadi, where they, along with thousands, waited for lifeboats on the beach.

Mr Cullen, who works in business intelligence, told MailOnline: ‘When we made the decision to move Gennadi, last night was the big moment in the situation when we had to take the bull by the horns. No one came to save us. We had to take care of ourselves.’

His wife Danielle, a hairdresser, added: ‘When you watch a movie and you think that’s never going to happen. Last night it turned out that these things happen and we were really fighting for our lives trying to get on the boat.’