HUNDREDS of Forest families and individuals who were away for the Easter holidays found themselves in limbo following the volcanic ash air shutdown.

Among those still away are a group of Forest of Dean College students helping to finish two AIDs orphanages in a remote part of Uganda, escorted by Forest vicar the Rev Val Turner.

Elsewhere schools were looking desperately for supply teachers with some of their own staff still away – along with many pupils.

Wyedean was a teacher down, Whitecross was missing three, and among the primaries Lydney C of E was waiting for a teacher to come home.

Firms too found themselves short of staff.

When the Review went to press many families were still waiting anxiously for news of relatives who had jetted away to enjoy some sping sun. Others learned that people from Spain and Italy were facing long bus journeys to the Channel followed by an unknown wait for passage back to England.

The college team of nine includes two lecturrers and Clearwell School head teacher as well as Val Turner, who is the college chaplain.

Speaking via Skype from Kampala she said: "We've had a fantastic and succesful visit working with two orphanages, a library and women's micro-finance groups that we funded and supported.

"The British High Commission are being very helpful. We're in good, cheap accommodation and all in good spirits with funds to cope. For the moment we are making a creative oppoprtunity out of a crisis."