Manx students are helping to save Christmas for island residents with the launch of Operation Furry Bridge.

The Manx Students’ Union, which has been instrumental in the creation of Operation Fairy Bridge to get students home for Christmas and finding accommodation for them to isolate in when they return to the island, is now helping our four-legged friends.

People who had been planning to travel on the Ben-my-Chree to collect their new pets would have been able to avoid isolating as they didn’t technically go to the UK. But this has now changed, leaving families facing difficult decisions on how to get their pets to the island.

A post from the MSU offering to help pair families trying to get their pets home for Christmas was shared on Facebook on Wednesday night and attracted appeals from across the island.

Through the Operation Fairy Bridge Facebook page, residents and students have been matching crossing times to ensure their furry friends can be brought home.

The change in regulations, where the Steam Packet was allowing residents to go to Heysham and return to the island was ended by the Manx government.

A Steam Packet spokesman told the Courier that the government ’had been permitting passengers who were collecting pets (and who remained on board Ben-my-Chree for both legs) to not have to self-isolate when they returned to Douglas’.

Residents who were booked on these sailings say the government has now changed this policy, apparently without warning and now they must self-isolate for two weeks should they choose to collect pets.

â?¢ If you are student who has agreed to help bring someone’s pet to the island or someone who has had to appeal for help in bringing their pet home and you would like to talk to us about these changes, contact our news team on [email protected] or message our Facebook page.