Alive, Briton lost in Oz for 3 days

A BRITISH expat who spent three days lost in the Australian outback survived the near-freezing overnight temperatures by burying himself in the dirt.

Anthony Collis, 32, was travelling with his partner Debbie Blomfield, 39, when they became separated on Thursday afternoon on their way to Darwin.

Miss Blomfield walked about five miles to raise the alarm, leading to the discovery of the car on Friday afternoon. But Mr Collis was nowhere to be seen.

After a widespread search, he was eventually found ‘alive and well’ on Sunday morning – though he was sunburnt and severely dehydrated. The man, originally from Wiltshire but now based in Perth, told rescuers he had dug holes to stay warm during the night as temperatures dropped to near freezing.

Police have not confirmed why the couple abandoned their vehicle or how they became separated, but a disagreement between the pair could have been a factor, according to local media reports.