THE families of two young women trapped in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina said they were overjoyed after the pair arrived home unannounced.

Flatmates Josie Baines and Alex Cowan, both 22, had just started a round-the-world trip when they arrived in New Orleans and became stranded in the Superdome.

Both families thought the pair had carried on their trip and were headed for the Cook Islands, in the South Pacific.

But on Tuesday night, the girls returned to the North-East, arriving at Newcastle Airport.

The British Consulate in Texas offered them tickets home after their ordeal.

Miss Baines' parents, David, 50, a journalist and his wife Sue, 49, an academic at Newcastle University, of St Peter's Basin, Newcastle, and Ms Cowan's parents, Margaret, 48 and Les, 55, a telecommunications engineer of Benton, North Tyneside, were shocked but overjoyed to see them.

Miss Cowan said: "The devastation when we left for Dallas was unbelievable. I must have been a bit naive when I was there, because it is only now that I look back and realise how terrifying it was.

"I am so glad to be home, but I am also looking forward to flying out to Los Angeles and carrying on with the rest of our trip."