A WOMAN who flew back to the UK from Sharm el-Sheikh the day after a Russian plane crashed has blasted the lack of security at the resort’s airport.

Venetia Percy-Davis, from Verwood, was on a family holiday with her partner, Gary Kirby, her three children and his two children when news of the crash, which happened 20 minutes after the aircraft left Sharm el-Sheikh, killing all 224 on board, came through.

The family managed to get home on Sunday, but Venetia said the security at the popular destination’s airport was “appalling”.

Venetia said that liquids were not checked, neither were electronic devices, and security staff were busy on their phones as bags were being scanned.

By contrast, she said, security at the family’s hotel was “amazing”.

Yesterday, foreign secretary Philip Hammond said that flights to and from Sharm el-Sheikh could be disrupted until Christmas.

Venetia, who flew from Gatwick with Thomson, told the Daily Echo: “The hotel itself was very safe and that’s why I feel so sorry for the Egyptian people, as we had such a fantastic holiday.

“It was quite nerve wracking and I thought security would have been stepped up, but the airport was poor.

“They weren’t focused on what they were doing.

“We went through scanners, but there’s no point in that if they don’t go through your bags and have proper security.

“You would expect them to be on high alert.”

Venetia said that the family chose Egypt for its temperatures at this time of year and weren’t disappointed until the flight home.

She added: “It doesn’t matter how often you fly, you’re still nervous when one falls out of the sky the day before.

“It’s going to put people off going to Sharm and it’s very sad for the economy and the people there.”

Yesterday travel agent association Abta has estimated there are at least 9,000 Britons on holiday at the resort and advised passengers who were stranded or were booked to go in the next few days to contact their tour operator.

Emergency screening was being put in place at the popular resort's airport to allow British nationals to be flown home after an inspection by UK experts resulted in all flights in and out of the popular Red Sea resort being halted.

The team was sent in by the Government after fresh intelligence suggested there was a "significant possibility" that a bomb had been placed on a Russian aircraft that crashed 20 minutes after taking off, killing all 224 on board.

EasyJet, Thomson Airways, Thomas Cook and British Airways are among the companies which have cancelled all flights to and from the Red Sea resort, several until next Thursday, following the Foreign Office's warning against “all but essential” travel.