UK couple in Australia launches GoFundMe, claiming they’ve been ‘abandoned’ by British government

A British couple trying to get home from Brisbane have launched a GoFundMe after claiming they had been “abandoned” by UK officials.

A Brit who flew to Australia to propose to his girlfriend says they’ve been “abandoned” by the British government amid global coronavirus lockdowns.

Keelan Charlton, 28, spent months planning his proposal to girlfriend Elley Bugler, 24, who said “yes” on March 1 during a romantic getaway to the Whitsundays.

After, the pair from Somerset in the UK went on a two-week road trip along the east coast with Elley’s best friend Paris Grose, 24, and pal George Panayides, 23. By that point, COVID-19 was rapidly escalating.

When the party returned to Brisbane to catch their flights home, they discovered they had been cancelled.

Now the pair claim they can’t afford new flights because prices skyrocketed as airlines have been forced to cancel journeys.

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A British couple who flew to Australia just before the lockdown commenced claim they have been ‘abandoned’ by their government. Picture: Instagram/Keelan Charlton

Elley the Daily Mail they were scared to book flights with the little money they had left, in case they were cancelled and the refund took time to arrive.

But the British consulate admitted there were no repatriation flights planned to the area, and it didn’t know if or when this would change.

“I was also told there was no funding available for us,” Elley said.

“I asked what we were advised to do as we soon won’t be able to afford rent, and the advice given to me was, ‘I can’t help you, just take out a credit card and book a flight home.’

“We felt abandoned and disappointed that the British consulate couldn’t give us any further advice or reassurance on how we could get home. I don’t think that Brits stranded abroad are getting enough support at all.”

Keelan Charlton and Elley Bugler got engaged in the Whitsundays on March 1. Picture: Instagram/Keelan Charlton

Keelan and Elley, who’ve been a couple for seven years, normally live together in the UK but have been working abroad separately since January.

Elley has been working as a dental assistant in Brisbane, while Keelan was a labourer in Canada.

Elley had no idea Keelan was planning to propose when he suggested a trip to Serenity Falls, in Queensland, just a couple of days after arriving.

“I thought it was just a normal day, having a picnic by a waterfall with my friends, and the next thing I know Keelan was down on one knee asking me to marry him! It was very surreal,” she said.

They say they can’t afford to buy flights home as prices have increased dramatically. Picture: Instagram/Keelan Charlton

Elley, who had been planning to work in Australia until the end of May, has been left with no income after the dental practice closed under the Government’s strict social distancing advice.

Luckily, a friend is letting the group stay for a low rent, but Elley stresses it’s only a short-term fix.

A spokesperson for the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office told the Daily Mail: “We recognise 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 government has partnered with a number of airlines who have committed to work together to get Brits back to the UK and up to £75 million has been made available for charter flights were commercial options are no longer available. We’ll continue working around the clock to bring people home.”

The pair have set up a GoFundMe to help them raised funds to get home. Picture: Instagram/Keelan Charlton

Elley has set up a GoFundMe to help them get home which has so far raised £858 ($A1755) – but not everyone is sympathetic to their plight.

“Why should the government pay for your stupidity of going away when the world was closing down!!” one angry person wrote on Keelan’s Instagram page.

“They knew the risks, their problem to deal with,” someone else said.

Another added: “Why do people always expect to be bailed out by someone else?”

But others defended the couple, writing “really do feel for you guys”.

This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission