A MUM trapped in Pakistan and separated from her children due to the coronavirus crisis has finally made it home.

But, despite Tab Niamat's relief at being back in Glasgow, she must wait for 14 days of quarantine to pass before she can reunite with her three teenagers.

Tab, who was in Pakistan with her husband and youngest child, finally secured flights back to the UK thanks to sheer determination - and the kindness of strangers.

But she says there are many more still in the country who are being let down by the UK and Pakistani governments.

The 43-year-old said: "Being back feels like an out of body experience. I made it home through sheer determination.

"We were in Pakistan for 50 days without knowing what would happen to us.

"When I walked through my front door it was the most amazing thing.

"And my little boy, Imran, he just ran straight through to put the television on. Seeing him sitting there watching TV munching his favourite foods as if nothing had happened, it was the most joyous scene ever."

Tab and her family had gone to Pakistan for a family funeral when the coronavirus crisis hit.

They should have travelled home on March 23... but Pakistan closed its borders that day, leaving them stranded.

Feeling the need to do something to help others, Tab set up a Facebook page to support British Pakistanis in the same situation and ended up with hundreds of members.

She says many people are still stranded with scarcity and expense of the limited flights home causing huge problems.

Tab said: "I woke up on the morning of April 9 with this really feeling of dread, just thinking, 'I have to do something to get home to my children.'

"We had been replying to the government's emails to say we wanted to get on a flight home but we never received any response."

Tab's brother-in-law drove her to the nearest town to try to book flights on a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) route.

But, she said, the travel agent would not help.

In desperation, she then drove to the nearest city, Lahore, three hours away to the PIA travel agent there.

Tab waited for three hours for news of whether she could get tickets but, just as the shop was closing at 8pm, the staff told her there were no seats left.

At the same time, she had been messaging a woman she met through the Facebook group who recommended another travel agent to her.

The travel agent secured the family three seats - but they had to be paid for immediately and by the time they got through to PIA to pay for the tickets, they seats were already taken.

Fortunately, the travel agent managed to find another three seats... and he paid for them himself.

Tab said: "We were so grateful. It was such an incredible thing for him to do."

Tab made it back to her in-law's home at 10.30pm and had just five hours to pack and return to Lahore Airport to catch the flight.

She added: "After being with our family for all that time, we ended up with barely a chance to say goodbye to them.

"Landing at Manchester Airport was so eerie. We had missed all of the lockdown and social distancing so to return to Britain like this has been very hard to adjust to.

"I remember going to Braehead for last minute shopping before we left for Pakistan and it was so busy - now everywhere is closed."

While Tab was looking forward to seeing her children, she, Imran and her husband must isolate for 14 days.

So her older children made sure the fridge was well stocked before moving to stay with relatives.

Tab said: "I know they are just round the corner now when before they were oceans away.

"I can't wait to hug them - but it will have to wait a bit longer."

She is grateful for the support received from her local MP, Alison Thewliss, but said British people abroad are being badly let down by the UK and Pakistani governments.

She said: "My heart has been in my mouth for weeks and the stress has been incredible.

"There are so many people still in Pakistan who can't get home - I am speaking to lots of them who need support and help.

"They must do more."