'Extremely vulnerable' Brit backpacker who vanished in Peru found sleeping on streets after being assaulted by locals
28 May 2025, 08:52 | Updated: 28 May 2025, 09:30
A British backpacker "in the midst of a mental health crisis" who vanished in Peru has been found - but remains on the streets, too afraid to accept help.
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Hannah Almond, 32, from Grimsby, disappeared in the city of Cusco following a violent robbery that left her without her passport, phone, or money, and triggering a severe mental health crisis.
The yoga enthusiast and fashion graduate had travelled there in March "for an adventure" and a spiritual retreat, but ended up living under a bridge alongside an elderly homeless man.
Her few remaining possessions were destroyed in a disturbing act by locals who set them on fire.
A video, filmed last week, shows Hannah screaming at angry street traders who destroyed a ramshackle camp under the Belén Bridge where she and the man had been living for a month.
After three days without contact, her friends feared for her safety.
However, a man she had briefly met in Lima named Piero Villanueva flew to Cusco to search for her, eventually finding her collapsed on the pavement.
Footage from local media shows the two walking together through Cusco shortly after they reunited.
Despite being found, Hannah is still sleeping rough and declining offers of assistance - including food, shelter, and help from the British embassy - due to the lingering trauma from the robbery which left her afraid of strangers.
A GoFundMe set up to get her home and pay for medical and psychological care says: "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."
The fundraiser added: "We know she has been refusing help due to the complexity of her mental health so it is most likely that she will need to placed into psychiatric care before getting a flight back."
'Pure loving soul'
Earlier this week, the Mirror reported a family friend said: "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."
One of her friends has now reportedly flown from the UK in a bid to persuade her to come home.
Over 100,000 Brits travel to Peru every year with most stopping in Cusco near the Andes which is the gateway to Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail.
