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A pair of newlyweds claim they were left sleeping on the floor of an airport despite saving a plane from disaster when they saw fuel gushing from the wing seconds before they were due to take off.

Rachel Brumfield filmed the scary scene on her mobile phone as husband Mike raced down the aisle of the United Airlines plane to alert the crew.

According to the couple Mike was told to sit back in his seat, before an air hostess looked out of the window herself and ran to the cockpit to alert the pilot.

But despite saving the plane, which was due to fly from Newark to Venice, from near disaster - the couple claim they were left stranded in the airport and sleeping on the floor.

(Image: Facebook)

Rachel said the pair were on their way to Italy to join a cruise to start their honeymoon when she spotted the fuel leak.

She told the New York Post : "I'm sitting looking out window at the wings, and all of a sudden fuel started shooting out of the wing really, really hard.

"It was huge — it looked like a fire hose.”

As firefighters arrived the couple claim they were invited to the cockpit to be personally thanked by pilots.

(Image: Facebook)

Rachel added: "They just looked at the video and they all kind of looked at each other, like, 'We’ve never seen anything like this'."

But the couple say once they left the plane they were not able to get on another flight.

They eventually secured a place on a Delta flight on Wednesday night so they would not miss their cruise but claim while they were given a food voucher, they were not given accommodation.

The couple claim they ended up sleeping on the airport floor, the New York Post reports.

A frustrated Mike posted a picture of Rachel trying to sleep with her head propped up on a suitcase to Facebook, with the caption: "My beautiful bride on our honeymoon. Thank you, United Airlines.

"We saved your united flight 170 from possibly crashing into the Atlantic, you praised us saying you'd take GOOOOD care of us, then cancelled the flight and disappeared.

(Image: Facebook)

"We landed 11 hours ago. We're stranded. Every hotel booked. And they have no idea where our luggage is and don't seem to care.

"We're supposed to be in Venice right now, starting a romantic day. But, luckily, several united airlines employees have been super rude to us, so at least there's that!!"

The pair were thanked by fellow passengers on the plane, one who they said offered them a hotel room after seeing them sleeping on the floor. Another passenger rented them a limo to take them to their next flight from JFK airport with Delta the next day, claimed the couple.

United Airlines issued a statement in response to the fuel leak.

Spokesman Jonathan Guerin said: "While taxiing to the runway yesterday evening, United flight 170 traveling from Newark to Venice, Italy returned to the gate due to a fuel leak, and was later cancelled.

"We apologise to our customers for the inconvenience.

"Our team helped provide customers with hotel accommodations for the night and are working to get them back on their way to Venice today."

Mirror Online contacted United Airlines for comment about the couple's claims they were not given accommodation and were to sleep on the airport floor, but a spokesman said they "had nothing further to add."

United Airlines came under fire earlier this year after footage revealed Dr David Dao being dragged off an overbooked flight.

The 69-year-old grandfather was seen being pulled from his seat after refusing United’s $1,000 (£799) in compensation as he said he had patients to see the following day.

As Dr Dao was forcibly removed his head was slammed into a nearby seat rendering him semi-conscious and blood streaming from his nose and mouth.