A British woman who went to Peru on a yoga retreat to ‘find herself’ has spent the last month sleeping rough after her passport and money were stolen in a violent robbery.
Hannah Almond, 32, a fashion graduate from Grimsby, was left stranded, penniless and unable to contact her family after the attack, with all her remaining belongings torched by local thugs.
She has befriended an elderly homeless man who she believes is the only person she can trust and now lives in a ramshackle camp under the Belén Bridge in Cusco.
Now her desperate friends have launched a GoFundMe page to cover the costs of sending her relatives to Peru to track her down and bring her home, as trauma from the attack has left her too scared to accept help from embassy officials.
A family friend told MailOnline: ‘She is one of the most pure loving souls ever – she is very generous and always wants to help people. ‘But she does not trust anyone after getting robbed and assaulted. Some locals burned all her belongings from under the bridge.
‘She was contacting her mum every now and then through other people’s phones.
‘Police went to check on her two days ago and she has not been seen since. Cusco is a trafficking hotspot, so it’s very worrying.’
Hannah Almond, 32, a fashion graduate from Grimsby, was left stranded, penniless and unable to contact her family after the attack, with all her remaining belongings torched by local thugs
Now her desperate friends have launched a GoFundMe page to cover the costs of sending her relatives to Peru to track her down
She has befriended an elderly homeless man who she believes is the only person she can trust and now lives in a ramshackle camp under the Belén Bridge in Cusco
The story has made national news in Peru with one website reporting the situation has left locals bewildered.
Mark Atkinson, the British Consul in Peru, told local media Hannah arrived in Cusco in early March as a tourist and did not plan to overstay her visa however her immigration status is now in limbo.
‘She is in an illegal situation. Her tourist visa has already expired,’ Atkinson explained.
Adding that the embassy is coordinating with local police and has also offered direct support including hotel accommodations and money for food but she keeps returning to the same bridge.
‘Sometimes we’ve paid for hotel stays, given her money for food, that sort of thing. But she always ends up coming back here,’ he added.
A message on the fundraising page adds: ‘Hannah travelled to Peru in March hoping for an adventure, but instead, she has found herself in a terrifying and heartbreaking situation.
‘She was robbed and assaulted, losing her passport, phone, and all of her money. Since then, Hannah’s mental health has severely declined.
The story has made national news in Peru with one website reporting the situation has left locals bewildered
The embassy is coordinating with local police and has also offered direct support including hotel accommodations and money for food but she keeps returning to the same bridge
More than 100,000 Brits travel to Peru every year with most stopping in Cusco which is the gateway to Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail
‘Despite attempts to help her through official channels, Hannah is deeply fearful and unable to accept support from the embassy or local authorities. She is extremely vulnerable, isolated, and not safe living on the streets of Peru.
‘Hannah is a deeply kind and gentle soul, and we are desperate to get her the care and safety she deserves. We need to bring her home.’
More than 100,000 Brits travel to Peru every year with most stopping in Cusco which is the gateway to Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail.
FCO travel advice warns a number of Brit tourists have been targeted by armed robbers in recent years. It adds: ‘Personal attacks, including sexual assaults, are infrequent but do happen, mostly in the Cusco and Arequipa areas.’
