AN EAST Lancashire mother and her six-year-old son were reduced to tears when their scheduled flight to see family in the USA was delayed by two days.

Teresa and James Lyons were forced to sit around the departure lounge at Manchester Airport waiting for announcements and spent two nights in a hotel before finally setting off to Atlanta, Georgia, yesterday.

Police were called in on Saturday as a precaution when Delta Airlines broke the news to passengers that "numerous faults" on the aircraft would mean the original £400 per person tickets could not be used until the following day. The airline confirmed today that the flight was due to leave at 11.50am on Friday, but eventually departed at 10.54am yesterday .

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police confirmed there had been no arrests or major disturbances.

Mrs Lyon's husband, Colin, of Bury Fold Lane, Darwen, comforted his family by telephone during their ordeal.

He said: "They were due to leave at 11.50am on Friday, but the delays just got longer and longer and ended up with them missing two days of their trip.

"By the second day they were in tears. They could have come home or I could have gone to be with them but because there was never any real indication given of the extent of the problems, they kept waiting."

Mr Lyons is now planning to seek compensation for the distress and frustration caused to the pair by the delays.

No-one from Delta Airlines was available to explain the reasons for the delay.

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