The woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, had set off on a 10-day solo trip from Gatwick to Shanghai. According to GB News, she described feeling like a fugitive after being turned away. The UK's visa-free entry to China scheme has been expanded to include the Isle of Man, but the reason for the refusal remains unclear.
The Isle of Man issues a variant passport, the 'Manx passport', to its citizens despite being part of the UK. It is not known whether the woman was aware of the visa-free expansion before traveling or if she had any other travel documents.