A PAIR of Dudley holiday makers managed to return home on the last ever Thomas Cook flight, just as news broke of the holiday giant’s collapse.

Anthony Speak, aged 64, from the Broadway, was on his way to the airport in Orlando in Florida last night before the announcement was made that the British company could not be saved.

Anthony, and his partner Wendy Willis, aged 57, managed to board the last flight back from Florida to Manchester Airport- unaware that it was the final flight operated by the stricken company before its collapse.

Speaking to the News just as he had returned to his Dudley home after a two-week holiday in the States, the 64-year-old had nothing but praise for the Thomas Cook staff who worked to help travellers despite knowing they had lost their jobs.

He said: “The staff were absolutely brilliant. They really were very professional in their job and in dealing with everything that was going on.

“Some of the girls were in tears as they had worked for Thomas Cook for years.

“We are so relieved to be home but are shattered. We had a beautiful holiday and didn’t really know anything about what was going with Thomas Cook.”

He said Thomas Cook crew and staff received an emotional welcome when their flight landed in Manchester just before 9am this morning, with airport staff breaking into applause.

Anthony added: “It’s so sad, it’s the end of an era.”

News of the firm's collapse has sparked the UK's largest peacetime repatriation operation to bring British travellers home.