A HOLIDAYMAKER left stranded in Uganda after being refused a visa by British officials has returned to work in Ilkley this week.

Mark Bukumunhe, 37, and his 73-year-old father, Ignatius, were safely back in West Yorkshire on Sunday night after finally being granted visas by the British High Commission in Kampala on Friday.

Mr Bukumunhe has worked for 13 years as a photographic technician at Annings (Ilkley) Ltd, Cunliffe Road.

He and his father were stranded in Uganda's capital over the New Year following a family holiday.

Both were born in Uganda, but were granted indefinite leave to remain in Britain by the Home Office in 1981, and have been living in Bradford for 26 years.

Problems arose when their original Ugandan passports, bearing the Home Office's 1981 official stamp, were lost in Kampala, and new passports were issued.

As their holiday - their first trip back to Uganda in more than 20 years - was arranged soon before they were due to set off, Mr Bukumunhe claims he sought Home Office advice, and was told to apply for visas when he reached Uganda.

When the two applied for their visas in Uganda, British officials said 'no', and insisted they had to provide proof that their original passports had gone missing in Africa.

While their relatives returned to Britain, they instructed a solicitor in London to help them appeal against the refusal of the visas, and called upon the help of Bradford South MP Gerry Sutcliffe.

Mark and Ignatius Bukumunhe were interviewed by officials at the British High Commission in Kampala last Thursday and told that officials were ''satisfied'.

They picked up their passports and visas the next day. The visas including confirmation that they have 'indefinite leave to enter the UK''.

"I never thought an official document could look so beautiful," said Mr Bukumunhe.

But the Bukumunhes' epic trip could not be at an end without a final twist.

The flight on the Cairo to Heathrow leg of their journey was fully booked, and as Friday was a public holiday in Egypt, they could not get in touch with Egypt Air to know if any seats would be free on Sunday.

The flights were busy as many Muslims made their return from the annual pilgrimage to Mecca.

Luckily, the airline managed to find two seats on the flight, and Mr Bukumunhe and his father arrived back in Bradford on Sunday night. He was back at work in Ilkley on Monday.