Paul McErlean, Charlie Coward and Andreas Maltan had been hiking along the Snowdonia Way on July 23. Nine hours in and Paul received a text informing him he had tested positive for Covid. This meant the hikers, who had travelled from Northern Ireland, could not stay at their intended campsite and took to Twitter to make a desperate plea for help.

       Paul, 23, tweeted: “Advice needed. Me and two lads are hiking in Wales, just got a positive Covid test 20 mins ago.

       The plea was retweeted by Lisa McGee, writer of the hit comedy series Derry Girls, and former British Home Secretary Jacqui Smith offered the lads use of her caravan.

       Thankfully, Paul’s father had a work contact a few hours away in Warrington, Cheshire, who was able to rescue the hikers and let them stay in his vacant property until August 2.

       Paul was overwhelmed by the generosity of people when they heard about his predicament. He told BBC News Northern Ireland: “It wasn't all former British home secretaries and people like that, it was mostly ordinary people back home and in the area just offering to help us out - it was really nice."

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       The men have now arrived back in Northern Ireland and Paul said the whole experience had been a “wake-up call”.

       He continued: “It's definitely made me think twice about Covid. We got lucky - my symptoms were mild. Many young people haven't got two [vaccine] doses yet and many may not have money if they were to get stuck like us.

       "I don't think I'll be going anywhere too soon but I'll definitely be getting a Covid test if I do."

       Former Home Secretary Jacqui Smith told BBC Radio Foyle: "I talk a lot about my caravan in northwest Wales, so when I saw the plight of Paul and his mates I thought well, I have got sons around about the same age, and I would hate the idea that they were left somewhere with nowhere to stay.

       "So, I just tweeted him to offer the use of my caravan. One of the things I think about in this pandemic is we have got this far because people have been willing to pull together and help each other and it seemed like the right thing to do."