Tourists arrive home after Hurricane Wilma

British tourists have begun arriving home from hurricane-hit Mexico where they had been stranded due to extreme weather.

Hurricane Wilma has now passed over the Yucatan Peninsula including the resorts of Cancun, Cozumel and Merida.

It damaged hotels and tourist accommodation, with many holidaymakers holed up in hurricane shelters.

Merida airport has completely reopened, while Cancun airport has reopened during daylight hours only.

Tour operators have begun operating flights to bring some 8,000 UK holidaymakers home, and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has chartered an aircraft to help with the evacuation of independent travellers not represented by tour operators.

Around 4,000 Brits have already left, and foreign office minister Lord Triesman said: "I am relieved that British nationals are now leaving the area, and we are continuing to discuss with the Mexican authorities, travel industry representatives and others how to keep this process going as quickly as possible, conditions on the ground permitting."

According to the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA), most operators have cancelled holidays to the Cancun area for those due to leave in the period up to and including Monday 31st October.

Holidaymakers are being offered the opportunity to amend their holiday to an alternative destination or to cancel.

Those holidaymakers returning from Mexico whose holidays have been cut short as a result of the hurricane, will be offered compensation for the non-air element of their holiday covering the period from when they were moved from their hotels to hurricane shelters.

Hurricane Wilma has also now completed its passage through Florida, but holidays to the area have been affected.

Customers due to travel to the Florida Keys and neighbouring areas of Naples and Marco Island, as well as Miami and Fort Lauderdale, up to and including October 27th, will be offered accommodation in alternative destinations within Florida or the option to amend holiday arrangements.

In Cuba, which was also affected by the hurricane, ABTA says hotels are generally operating normally and normal booking conditions apply.