A STRANDED young sportsman from Sandown is trying to make it home from Australia, five months after he flew out to chase his dream of becoming a cricket pro.

Ben Attrill signed for Denmark, a club of the Albany and Districts Cricket Association in Western Australia and flew out in October, deferring a place at Oxford Brookes university.

Read more: Ben aiming to boost pro cricket ambitions Down Under


His last match took to the pitch earlier this month and now Ben is trying to fly home, in light of the advice of the Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab.

On Monday, Mr Raab told British people living abroad to return home immediately.

Isle of Wight County Press:

Ben is among a number of Islanders unable to find flights, and battling soaring prices and sudden cancellations.

In Ben’s case, he must find a connecting flight to a halfway point, such as Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia, and fly to the UK from there.

A campaign is underway, involving Ben and a number of other UK citizens in Australia, calling for the government to put on an official repatriation flight.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office told the Isle of Wight County Press said: "We recognize British tourists abroad are finding it difficult to return to the UK because of the unprecedented international travel and domestic restrictions that are being introduced around the world – often with very little or no notice.

"The FCO is working around the clock to support British travellers in this situation to allow them to come back to the UK. The Government is seeking to keep key transit routes open as long as possible and is in touch with international partners and the airline industry to make this happen. Consular staff are supporting those with urgent need while providing travel advice and support to those still abroad."