A newly-wed was so terrified of flying off on honeymoon she punched her husband then ran off the airplane.

Petrified Amanda Hall, from Stanway, Colchester, who had never flown before, is due to relive her holiday nightmare on an ITV documentary screened tonight called Flights From Hell.

The programme tells how new bride Mrs Hall and groom Derek were forced to spend their honeymoon in Great Yarmouth after she panicked and ran off the 'plane while it was on the runway.

The couple had been due to spend a romantic week in Turkey which the groom had booked as a surprise for his new wife.

Mrs Hall, 31, of Peace Road, said: "I did not really think about flying until I got to the airport. Then when I saw the planes and how big they were I was terrified.

"I started crying and shaking. My husband got some airport staff who were very nice to me and tried to calm me down.

"They introduced me to the pilot who showed me pictures of his family. Then they made sure we got on the plane first.

"But as I was sitting there I just panicked and had to hit my husband really hard and then I ran off. He was just sitting there in shock."

Holidaymakers on the same flight were furious as the plane was delayed for three hours while the Hall's luggage was taken off.

Mrs Hall said: "It was awful. A real nightmare.

"We just sat there in silence waiting for hours. It was not the best start to a marriage."

But the horror story has a happy ending as Mrs Hall has had hypnotherapy to help her recover from her phobia.

She flew for the first time to Spain on her own last December and then this year the couple took their three children Shannon, Chloe and Emily to Florida.

She said: "We had always had to go to Disneyland Paris before because you did not need to fly. To see the children's faces when we got to America was amazing.

"I knew I had achieved something and felt really proud. We are heading off to Morroco in October so I am making up for lost time."

Fear of flying - Amanda Hall with her three children Shannon, Chloe and Emily

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