Sunderland fan says Wembley via Menorca route cheaper than train

A Sunderland fan says he has booked flights via Menorca to see his team play at Wembley after discovering it was cheaper than booking a train or flying direct.

James Jelly, 33, is among thousands of Black Cats fans heading to the capital for the League One play-off final with Wycombe Wanderers on Saturday.

He said other ways to get to London would have cost him a lot more.

He has paid £51 for two flights and a hostel in Menorca, with breakfast.

Mr Jelly said: "I do things without thinking and when we were sitting in the cricket club discussing travel options for Wembley, I thought there must be another option than spending six hours on a coach or spending hundreds on a train to London.

"It was £161 one way for a direct flight to Gatwick and I just kept looking until I saw the £23 flights to Menorca.

"Initially I thought I could sleep in Mahon airport and then I read it closed at 00:30, so I've booked into a hostel. It looks basic but it includes breakfast."

The cheapest prices showing on The Trainline on Monday had a one-way journey from Sunderland to King's Cross on Friday for £83, and on Saturday for £69. From Newcastle it showed the same route for £79 on Friday, £54 on Saturday.

Mr Jelly's flight from Newcastle to Menorca on Thursday cost £12.50, while his flight from Menorca to Stansted the following afternoon was £10.50.

The hostel in Menorca cost £28 for the night.

His second flight will touch down just after 17:00 BST on Friday, when he will be met by someone who contacted him on Twitter after learning about his journey, who will give him a lift to Trafalgar Square for pre-match celebrations, ahead of the game the following day.

Mr Jelly said he would not have to pay for accommodation in London because he would be staying with his grandparents in Surrey.

"I don't feel like I'll be missing out on the banter of heading to London with other fans, as I really like travelling and this is an adventure, just me and my drawstring bag, packed with my essentials," he said.

"I'm more nervous than excited about the Wembley part of the trip - we've been to Wembley a few times now and the result hasn't gone our way, so although I am excited, I'm mostly nervous about the play-off final."

Mr Jelly, who lives in Hetton-le-Hole with his fiancée and two sons, said his family thought he was "crazy" but he was looking forward to sharing his Wembley adventure with his children in the years to come.

He has also lined up a free lift home from a fellow Sunderland fan who also tweeted to say he had space in his car.

"What could be better than a free lift home, let's hope we'll be celebrating another good result too," he said.

The flight clocks in at almost 2,000 miles (3,180km), compared with the road distance of 272 miles (438km) for the trip from Sunderland to Wembley.

Mr Jelly said: "I didn't really think about how environmentally friendly my trip would be, the carbon footprint isn't great, but I in all honestly just wanted the best deal."

Follow BBC North East & Cumbria on Twitter, external, Facebook, external and Instagram, external. Send your story ideas to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk, external.