An Albanian man who has made Bradford his home was prevented from paying his last respects to his father because of red tape.

Arben Cicollari's father, Zini, died on Monday in Saranda, an Albanian coastal village only a short ferry ride from the Greek island of Corfu.

Mr Cicollari, 26, who has lived in Marshfields, Bradford, since January with his wife, Miriam, was desperate to travel home for the funeral the following day. But a massive geographical and political problem lay in his path. The only way to get to Saranda in time was via Corfu, and Greek restrictions on Albanians entering its territory are extremely strict.

After checking with British immigration officials, however, Mr Cicollari thought his one-year renewal British access-stamped passport would allow him to land on the island. He bought a return ticket and travelled to Manchester Airport, but his hopes were dashed as he tried to board the plane.

Ground staff for Britannia Airways informed him that a visa, or a full British passport, was required.

At his insistence, they telexed the Greek authorities to explain the outstanding circumstances of the situation, but were told he could not enter.

Mr Cicollari said: "The route through Corfu is the quickest way home. It would just have been a bridge to my father's home. I wouldn't have cared even if I was handcuffed or accompanied on to the ferry by an escort.''

To make matters worse, the non-refundable £139 ticket on which he had spent all his spare money was crossed out in front of him, and now he doesn't know when he will be able to make the trip.

"It's not the money, it's the fact that now it's too late to see my dad," he said.

Aphrodite Pavlou, of the Greek Consulate General in London, confirmed the tough rules on allowing Albanians to enter Greece.

"There are no exceptions, that's the problem. They all need the visa and that's a procedure that can take up to 15 days.

"These are rules and agreements that are set between the countries and we can't do something different."

Miss Pavlou did say, however, that it would be up to the discretion of the authorities to allow someone to travel through Greece without the correct documents for humanitarian reasons.

Mr Cicollari's wife, 39, said she understood that her husband didn't go through all the right channels but she was angry the rules weren't bent out of compassion.

"We were at fault for not getting a visa but a visa takes two weeks," she said, "and we didn't have that time to spare."

A spokesman for Britannia Airways said its ground staff had tried to help but were limited in what they could do.

"Clearly, we understand the emotional situation but we have to follow the instructions of the Greek immigration authorities, and it sounds like our ground staff did everything they could," he said.

Mr Cicollari is now trying to raise the cash, and get a visa sorted out, for a belated visit to his father's grave.

e-mail: jim.jack@bradford.newsquest.co.uk