THOUSANDS of passengers were left stranded as thick fog crippled Heathrow Airport in London and forced 50 cancellations.

Heathrow’s Terminal 5 was filled with disgruntled and grounded holidaymakers looking to board planes out of Britain in time for new year celebrations.

Alice de Sousa, 50, had been booked on a flight to Glasgow out of London City Airport but after it was cancelled she got in a taxi to Heathrow.

But when she arrived she was told there were no more seats available via re-bookings.

She said: “We’re supposed to be flying to Glasgow at 2pm, and eventually to Ayrshire, but we were sent here from London City. London City couldn’t book us tomorrow because they only run flights up to a certain time. We were sent here, but we’ve now just been told that there’s no more re-bookings.”

A Heathrow spokesman said around 50 flights had been cancelled and added: “Heavy fog has been affecting flights at Heathrow today, leading to delays and some cancellations. Passengers are advised passengers to check the status of their flight with their airline before going to the airport.

- so there you go.

“They paid for our taxi to here, but it was only when we arrived we realised there were no more re-bookings.

“It’s pointless sending people here, because the fog looks worse here than it does at London City.

“We’ve been told nothing really, only that we can join the queue and given a piece of paper. It’s very chaotic really.

Meanwhile, 17 people were hurt when a coach veered off a motorway slip road and overturned in heavy fog. The male driver and 16 men and women passengers suffered injuries including broken bones, cuts and bruises when the Oxford Bus Company coach crashed off at junction 7 of the M40 near Milton Common in Oxfordshire at 2.45am yesterday.