London - She popped into Boots to pick up some essentials before jetting off on holiday.
But a last-minute bottle of sun cream nearly cost a holidaymaker her flight – after she was locked in the airport store.
The woman, believed to be Dutch, became trapped behind the metal shutters at around 9.30pm when shop staff in the departure lounge locked up for the night.
She was eventually rescued when other travellers heard her shouts – and was released just minutes before her plane to Greece was due to leave Birmingham airport at the weekend.
An unnamed passenger who came to her aid said: ‘I was with my family waiting for our flight and was just on my way to get a newspaper. As I was walking past Boots I became conscious of a rapping sound and a woman’s voice.’
They added that the woman could be seen through the slats – but she was ‘very anxious’ because her flight was scheduled for 10.45pm. ‘I told her not to worry and that I would get help.
‘I went to a Costa Coffee and told the guy there who said he would alert security. They were on the scene soon after but it took them a while to release her. Presumably they had to get someone from Boots to unlock the shutters.’
They said it was after 10pm by the time she was freed. ‘I’m sure her flight had already been called and they’d started boarding,’ they added.
‘She was mightily relieved to get out – but also pretty miffed that they had locked her in in the first place.’
Daily Mail