A group of young men stranded in Mexico spoke today of their desperation to return home as fears of the deadly swine flu virus grew.

Ashley Price, Jamie Wood and five Leicestershire friends flew to Cancun hours before flights there were cancelled on Monday.

More than 150 people are believed to have died from the disease in Mexico, and at least five cases have been confirmed in the UK.

The East Midlands region's resilience director – bringing together emergency services, health authorities and other groups in times of crisis – yesterday said there were still no confirmed cases in Leicestershire.

Ashley and his friends travelled with Thomas Cook and have been told they must pay to fly home before the end of their two-week trip at the Temptation Resort.

The 23-year-old, from Syston, said: "We were the last flight to leave. We'd heard about it and asked people at the airport but were told it was safe.

"Since then, they've cancelled the flights here and we're hearing different things from our families back at home to what we're being told.

"We're worrying and waiting for news. We want to come home but we paid £1,100 to get here and it's another £500 to get back. We haven't got the money."

Jayne Wood, mother of 23-year-old Jamie, from Hoby, near Melton, said: "We just don't know how safe it is.

"I've said I'll pay for him to come home but he doesn't know what to do at the moment."

A Thomas Cook spokeswoman said the authorities had yet not said people must leave, so anyone wanting to fly home early would have to pay.

Carl Nicol, 51, from Cosby, is among a group of eight friends and family who flew to Cancun before the outbreak.

Speaking from the Riu Palace hotel, he said: "We saw on the news a couple from Scotland who got it had come from Cancun, which was worrying.

"We're all okay. Last week we couldn't move because the place was so busy, but now it's like a ghost town."

Back home, top-level emergency meetings are being held daily in Leicestershire and the East Midlands region about the swine flu threat.

Regional resilience director Peter Ward yesterday chaired a meeting of public health specialists, emergency service members and council representatives in Nottingham.

He said there were no confirmed cases in the county, however local NHS officials refused to say whether there were any suspected cases.

Dr Peter Marks, director of public health for the NHS Leicestershire County and Rutland Primary Care Trust, said daily advice was coming from the Health Protection Agency. He said: "There is a lot of hard work taking place behind the scenes to make sure we will be ready to respond if the circumstances change."

Leaflets containing useful information are to be delivered to every house in Leicestershire.

Both Leicester City Council and Leicestershire County Council said their schools were not on alert at this stage.

Anyone with genuine concerns should call their GP or NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.