A BRITISH backpacker feared trafficked after vanishing in Peru has been found – but remains on the streets too terrified to trust anyone offering help.
Hannah Almond, 32, disappeared after a violent robbery left her without a passport, phone, or money – and sparked a terrifying mental health spiral.
InstagramHannah Almond has been found after she was feared missing in Peru[/caption]
GoFundmeThe Brit, 32, is living rough after being robbed of all her money and passport[/caption]
InstagramShe had travelled to the South American country for a yoga retreat[/caption]
The yoga-loving fashion graduate from Grimsby had travelled to Cusco in March for a spiritual retreat to “find herself”, but ended up living under a bridge with an elderly homeless man.
Locals torched her few remaining belongings in a sickening attack.
After three days without contact, friends feared the worst – but now say a man she met briefly in Lima caught a flight to Cusco and “just started wandering the streets asking after her” until he found her slumped on the pavement.
Despite being located, Hannah is still sleeping rough and refusing support – including food, shelter, and help from the British embassy – due to trauma-triggered psychosis that’s left her terrified of strangers.
A friend told The Daily Mail: “She is one of the most pure loving soul ever – she is very generous and always wants to help people.
“But she does not trust anyone after getting robbed and assaulted.”
One pal has now flown from the UK in a desperate bid to persuade Hannah to return home before she disappears again.
Her loved ones hope that a familiar face on the ground will help break through the fear and confusion that has kept her from accepting official help.
Hannah had been staying a makeshift camp under the Belén Bridge before she had all her belongings stolen or destroyed.
Eyewitnesses say Hannah and the elderly man she was staying with were violently evicted from the area by furious street vendors on Avenida Ejército.
Despite offers from officials, Hannah continues to return to the bridge camp.
Mark Atkinson, the British Consul in Peru, said: “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 confirmed her tourist visa has now expired, leaving her in legal limbo.
“She is in an illegal situation,” Atkinson told local media.
A GoFundMe page launched by friends has raised nearly £8,000 to cover travel, temporary housing, and urgent medical care – and to help bring her safely back to the UK.
A message on the fundraiser reads: “Hannah travelled to Peru in March hoping for an adventure, but instead, she has found herself in a terrifying and heartbreaking situation.
“Since then, Hannah’s mental health has severely declined.”
It continued: “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 care and safety she deserves. We need to bring her home.”
More than 100,000 Brits travel to Peru every year, with most visiting Cusco – the getaway to Machu Picchu.
The FCDO warns of armed robberies and advises travellers to stay alert, especially in Cusco and Arequipa.
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