Leeds man flew 3,500 miles to Dubai to surprise his mum on her dream birthday holiday

Stanley Dru, 37, pretended he wasn’t able to get the money together to make Donna Roderick's big trip to Dubai. But he secretly planned a surprise arrival with her friends Ceri Davies and Gemma Bosher.

Stanley flew to Dubai then called his mum asking about her holiday - while creeping up behind her at a restaurant. Donna jumped when she heard Stanley’s voice behind her and was in utter shock to see him earlier this month.

The pair were able to spent the next four days sightseeing and “made every minute count of the trip.” Stanley - his social name, his real name is Luke Williams - is a fashion and lifestyle blogger from Leeds.

He said: “Mum asked me in July if I’d be able to come on the trip with her friends and I just said I’m sorry I won’t be able too. But I immediately messaged her friends in a private chat to say I was in. We had it all planned for months but I slipped up so many times when she was talking about Dubai. Somehow she didn’t twig.

“I arrived the day before her and had the girls arrange a late lunch at a beach club for the next day. I rang her ask her about the holiday and slowly walked up behind her with my partner Tom. Then I started talking about her outfit and said ‘have you got that white dress on.’ She still didn’t hear me until I said ‘it looks lovely on you.’

“Then she turned around shocked. She slipped out a few naughty words but I just gave her a big hug. She didn’t expect it at all. She was so bewildered to see me. We spent the next four days having afternoon tea, swimming in the hotel with the 360 degree view, and taking marina tours.

“We made every minute count. She never has experiences like this on holiday so I wanted to make it special.”