A young couple on their first foreign holiday together had to fly back home after 30 minutes – after their passports were forgotten on the plane.

Lewis Mundy and Kimberley Floyd, both 27, boarded a flight to Greece and tucked their passports into the magazine pocket of their seats.

But after stepping off the jet they realised they did not have the documents and a search of the plane failed to find them.

The couple were then told they could not enter the country – and within 30 minutes were sent on a return flight back to the UK.

The pair were unable to fly back out during the week and had to forfeit the £1,400 holiday.

“We were supposed to be sunning it up in Greece but instead ended up at Stansted,” said Mr Mundy.

“There’s no sign of our passports and we’ve had no help, no compensation, nothing. We’ve done everything we could but no one seems to care.

“It was a nightmare, the biggest you could imagine.”

The couple booked their week-long holiday to the five star Atki Hotel on the island of Kos with First Choice and flew out on a TUI jet from Gatwick in June.

Mr Mundy, from Portsmouth, said: “It was the first holiday we had together.

“We boarded the plane to go to Greece, it was very exciting. We sat to watch a film and chilled out on the plane to pass the time.”

They put their passports in a transparent plastic bag and tucked them into the seat pockets for the duration of the four-hour flight.

But within minutes of stepping off the plane they realised they didn’t have the documents and instantly tried to backtrack, but were told they couldn’t re-board.

Instead a member of staff conducted a search but quickly emerged to say they could not be found.

The couple pleaded with staff to have another look and gave detailed instructions about where the passports were, but still they could not be found.

Ms Floyd, also from Portsmouth said: “I realised as soon as we got off the plane, it could only have been two minutes tops.

“They told us we couldn’t get back on the plane and the made us wait by the door to the airport while someone went to look but they said there was nothing there.”

Their surprise turned to horror when they were told they would not be allowed into Greece and would have to return to the UK.

UK weather: Temperatures soar as heatwave intensifies Show all 35 1 /35 UK weather: Temperatures soar as heatwave intensifies UK weather: Temperatures soar as heatwave intensifies People on the beach at Croyde Beach in North Devon PA UK weather: Temperatures soar as heatwave intensifies People enjoy the sun at Carsington Water in Derbyshire PA UK weather: Temperatures soar as heatwave intensifies Sophie Todd, aged 7, and her mother Jane Todd playing in one of the Trafalgar Square fountains in London PA UK weather: Temperatures soar as heatwave intensifies A couple play catch with a ball whilst swimming in the River Stour Getty Images UK weather: Temperatures soar as heatwave intensifies Children play in the fountains at Granary Square, King's Cross PA UK weather: Temperatures soar as heatwave intensifies A dog under an umbrella at the Festival of British Eventing at Gatcombe Park, Gloucestershire PA UK weather: Temperatures soar as heatwave intensifies People sunbath on the clifftop at Woolacombe Beach in North Devon PA UK weather: Temperatures soar as heatwave intensifies A woman stands in a field of sunflowers at Vine House Farm near Spalding, Lincolnshire PA UK weather: Temperatures soar as heatwave intensifies A woman takes a selfie in front of St Paul's Chathedral PA UK weather: Temperatures soar as heatwave intensifies Paddle boarders off the coast at Tynemouth , Tyne & Wear PA UK weather: Temperatures soar as heatwave intensifies People on Woolacombe Beach in North Devon PA UK weather: Temperatures soar as heatwave intensifies A canal boat passes along the Regent's Canal PA UK weather: Temperatures soar as heatwave intensifies People relax in the warm weather on the beach in Brighton PA UK weather: Temperatures soar as heatwave intensifies People enjoying the hot weather and sunshine on the banks of the River Thames in Putney Rex Features UK weather: Temperatures soar as heatwave intensifies Spectators enjoy the hot weather during day seven of the Nature Valley International at Devonshire Park PA UK weather: Temperatures soar as heatwave intensifies Hot and sunny day in Hyde Park's Serpentine lake Rex UK weather: Temperatures soar as heatwave intensifies People relax in the warm weather on the beach in Eastbourne PA UK weather: Temperatures soar as heatwave intensifies People sunbathe as they enjoy the warm weather on Bournemouth beach PA UK weather: Temperatures soar as heatwave intensifies A person sunbathes on a blow up mattress in the sea off of Bournemouth beach in Dorset PA UK weather: Temperatures soar as heatwave intensifies A couple relax in the sunshine on the beach in Brighton PA UK weather: Temperatures soar as heatwave intensifies People play in water fountains in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in east London PA UK weather: Temperatures soar as heatwave intensifies Chris Bryant from Basingstoke paddle boards at Boscombe Beach in Dorset PA UK weather: Temperatures soar as heatwave intensifies People shelter from the sun beneath umbrellas as they walk in St James's Park in London AFP/Getty Images UK weather: Temperatures soar as heatwave intensifies Arianna Espiritu Kelly, 2, eats an ice-cream in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park PA UK weather: Temperatures soar as heatwave intensifies Victor the Polar Bear enjoys a dip in the water at Yorkshire Wildlife Park PA UK weather: Temperatures soar as heatwave intensifies People on the beach in Brighton PA UK weather: Temperatures soar as heatwave intensifies Woman relax in the sunshine on the beach in Hastings, Sussex PA UK weather: Temperatures soar as heatwave intensifies People enjoy their lunch break in the sunshine near Tower Bridge in London PA UK weather: Temperatures soar as heatwave intensifies Police horses drink from a water fountain during the hot weather in Green Park PA UK weather: Temperatures soar as heatwave intensifies Anglers fish on New Brighton beach on the Wirral, Merseyside as the sun rises over the Port of Liverpool and the River Mersey PA UK weather: Temperatures soar as heatwave intensifies A family of lemurs enjoy an ice lolly at Yorkshire Wildlife Park PA UK weather: Temperatures soar as heatwave intensifies People enjoy the sunshine in St James's Park in in London AFP/Getty Images UK weather: Temperatures soar as heatwave intensifies A duck swims in the algae covered lake in St James's Park, London PA UK weather: Temperatures soar as heatwave intensifies A couple cycle in the sunshine around Bewl Water in Kent PA UK weather: Temperatures soar as heatwave intensifies A man takes a break in the sun on Southbank, London PA

She added: “We had people around us making sure we didn’t leave.

“We were waiting for about 30 minutes for a flight back, we had to wait by the door. They tried to move us somewhere else but I refused.

“There was people watching us like we were criminals.”

After waiting for between 30 and 40 minutes the couple were put on the next flight back to the UK, and endured another four hour flight.

Ms Floyd said: “They didn’t care, they gave us a boarding pass and chucked us on the next flight, we didn’t get a choice – it was disgusting.”

The couple have contacted First Choice and TUI but have not managed to locate their passports or had any offer of compensation.

A TUI UK spokesperson said: “We’re sorry to hear of Mr Mundy and Ms Floyd’s very rare experience on their flight to Greece.

“As a result of not having their passports they were not allowed into the country and were flown back to the UK.

“After searching the aircraft thoroughly we can confirm their passports were not found.

“We would like to remind customers, as we generally do before they leave the aircraft, to ensure they have all their personal possessions with them and to take responsibility of their personal items at all times.”