Stranded in Dubai as missiles fall: Shropshire couple's holiday turns to nightmare as Iran attacks across the Middle East

In response Iran has launched attacks across the Middle East: in Dubai, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia.

• Sign up today to get all the latest news headlines from Shropshire and Mid Wales delivered straight to your inbox with the Shropshire Star’s free newsletter

Terrifying images have flooded social media, with the peace of previously glamorous holiday venues interrupted by huge explosions as tourists witness the surreal and horrifying spectacle of explosions and missiles streaking across the sky.

Lex Butler and her husband Edward Morley, of Alberbury, near Shrewsbury, are amongst thousands of Brits stranded in Dubai as the country has been dragged into one of the most serious conflicts of recent years.

Lex, who is 43 and owns her own production agency, said it had been a surreal experience as they realised what was happening, describing the situation as like a nightmare.

The couple have been travelling to Dubai twice a year for holidays, describing it as "beautiful" and a "favourite place of ours" with "great service and hospitality".

But in the aftermath of the attacks they are staying in their hotel room, desperate for news of how to get out of the county.

The flight home they had been due to catch on Tuesday was cancelled with airspace in the region restricted, while they wait to find out if a rescheduled flight for Saturday goes ahead.

She told how she and Edward, who have been staying at the Jumierah Dar Al Maysaf hotel, had been sitting on the beach when the first explosion shook the peaceful surroundings.

She said: "We were having the best holiday: Friday we went to Beach Verde, a high end beach club along the beach, which was just so much pleasure.

"The next day we stayed at our hotel beach, sat there about 11am and heard massive bangs, that shook the beach.

"Everyone jumped up off their beach beds and started looking around and at the sky.

"You could make out a cluster of white smoke in the air, which people started to say was a missile being intercepted.

"Thirty minutes later, another bang and another plume in the sky.

"At this point we among all other guests have no idea what is going on. Not until we start researching online do we see what it is.

"That afternoon more bangs, around six. That evening we had sirens waking us up, bangs and explosions every five minutes.

"The sky now dark, you could see the missiles."

Lex said they have friends who live in Dubai and others on holiday who have also been impacted.

She said: "We have quite a few friends here [...] and those by the Palm were evacuated into the underground car park, sleeping on mattresses.

"Others were told to hide in their bathrooms or the evacuation staircases of the hotels."

Lex spoke of the confusion as they began to understand what was happening - and their worry about how they get to safety.

Yesterday it was announced that the UK Government was mounting an operation to support at least 200,000 British nationals in the Gulf.

More than 94,000 Britons registered their location and contact details to receive direct Foreign Office updates, with the majority being holidaymakers in the United Arab Emirates or people in transit at major hub airports.

Airspace is closed over the region with government officials understood to be formulating potential plans to evacuate UK nationals in the event airspace does not reopen.

Lex explained they had been unable to get details on how they may be able to get home, and have even been looking at whether they could drive to neighbouring countries to get flights from there.

She said: "We have registered our presence here with the Foreign Office and we receive daily emails.

"We have also been given all the official social channels of the country to follow for live updates.

"British Airways/Qatar Airways were our carrier. We just received the most generic email saying to keep an eye on the booking online.

"I have spent over two hours on the phone trying to speak to BA and Qatar. When I have got through, they just said "currently your flight Tuesday night is on time" - which was hilarious as all airspace is closed.

"They told me to keep checking. That afternoon I got a cancelled flight email. They offer a rebook/refund button on your booking online, but when selected it says "call us" - another 45 minutes on hold.

"They have no idea when we can fly but they have placed us on their next flight Saturday 2am, so we wait to see if that is possible or not.

"To be honest, once airspace is reopened we will take any flight out of here towards the west. Local authorities are now offering to cover all costs if you have been made to stay here, which is a huge support to many. The embassy has declared over 76,000 Brits have registered that they are here!"

Lex said they were now staying put in their hotel room "safe and patient until we see online we can go".