XL collapse strands dying mother

A woman dying of cancer who was stranded in Egypt by the collapse of holiday firm XL has been threatened with arrest by the hotel where she is staying unless she pays a £1,400 bill.

Cherry Dodgson, 49, has lung cancer and had cashed in her life savings for a £7,000 holiday in Sharm el-Sheikh with eight of her family and friends.

But since XL went bust last Friday Mrs Dodgson, from Wells, Somerset, has been unable to get home. Speaking from her hotel today she said: "This was supposed to be my final holiday with my family before I die and it has been ruined."

She said the group had now managed to scrape together enough cash to pay hotel bosses, who had threatened to call police, and was hoping to fly home tonight.

Mrs Dodgson also spent £2,000 on a honeymoon with XL for her daughter, who is getting married in two weeks.