A woman has vowed never to return to Egypt after a lack of airport security left her fearing for her safety following a terrorist attack.

Sue Jenkins, 53, from Halstead, claims to have seen security guards playing on their mobile phones and "messing about" by snacking on pomegranate seeds, while carrying out passenger Visa checks at Sharm-El-Sheikh airport.

She and her husband Michael, 54, jetted to the resort for a week-long break on November 1, the day after a Russian plane from the airport was blown up over the Sinai desert, killing 224 people.

Expecting to see guards with guns and rigorous security checks before their delayed return flight on November 10, Mrs Jenkins was shocked to get through check-in and security within 30 minutes.

She described how workers were so distracted by their snacks, her husband’s immigration documents were not correctly stamped.

The import broker, who works for FedEx, said: "I expected to see security all over the place - people with guns - but all I saw was people who did not seem to be aware what was going on.

"They just had their heads in their phones.

"One officer was meant to be checking for my name on the system, but two others were distracting him with these pomegranate seeds.

"He tried to offer me some and I said, no thank you, I want my form stamped."

She added: "We were disgusted they did not seem to be taking our safety seriously and these were people who should have known better.

"I think everyone should be aware just how easy some of these things can be and security is not as tight as it should be out there."

Mr and Mrs Jenkins have holidayed at the popular snorkelling resort five times in the last 18 months, but the experience has led them to cancel a return trip booked for November 29.

Mrs Jenkins said: "I won’t ever go back there. It’s a shame because the snorkelling is absolutely amazing.

"I would be going another five times if it had been okay."

Travelling so soon after the attack also took its toll.

She said: "It’s worrying because things start to go through your mind about what’s happening at home - should you have put your life in order before you went on holiday?

"When you’re in that sort of area, it’s not like you can get on a flight to another EU country.

"I’m not really surprised these attacks happen if you saw what security was like."

The Gazette contacted the airport but it did not issue a response.