A desperate couple abandoned their taxi amidst a three-mile motorway gridlock and embarked on a daring walk down the hard shoulder to catch their holiday flight.
Dean Louca, 37, and his wife Gina, 39, were en route to Greece from London Luton when their taxi was ensnared in stationary traffic.
Their flight was scheduled for a 12:45am departure on Tuesday (26 Aug).
After a stagnant 20 minutes, the pair took matters into their own hands and began their trek along the M1.
They soon found themselves joined by other families, with some drivers even cheering them on from their vehicles.
“We decided the only option was to start walking as we were concerned we would miss our flight,” Dean, from Camden, north London, revealed to What’s The Jam.
“People were panicking in their cars saying the same.”
The couple’s journey eventually caught the attention of a kind-hearted stranger who gave them a lift to the airport, allowing them to board their flight with an hour to spare.
Dean expressed his gratitude: “If it wasn’t for him, we may have missed it.
“On the plane we could see the motorway was still at a standstill three hours later – it was crazy.”
Footage of the couple’s audacious walk has since gone viral, amassing over 450,000 views online, with some applauding their determination while others criticised them for risking their lives.
One viewer pointed out: “Walking down the hard shoulder and motorway is illegal you know that?”.
Another added: “Putting your lives at risk by walking down the hard shoulder for a holiday?”.
However, there were those who showed support.
One person commented: “Oh my God. So glad you made it.”
Another commented: “I hope you had an amazing holiday after this.”
