AUTHOR Neil Gaiman has apologised after travelling more than 11,000 miles from New Zealand to his home in Skye despite coronavirus lockdown rules.

The Good Omens writer faced criticism and was spoken to by police after he admitted making the long journey so he could “isolate easily” when he and wife Amanda decided they needed to give eachother space.

But writing on his blog last night Gaiman, 59, said he had done “something stupid”.

He expressed concern that he had “managed to mess things up in Skye”, a place he loves “most in the world”.

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Gaiman has been living in the UK since 2017. He said due to his personal circumstances with Amanda, he was “panicked” and “more than a little overwhelmed” and stuck away from home.

The author said once New Zealand’s lockdown was eased he took the first flight out that he could, but added he wasn’t thinking clearly and “just wanted to go home”.

At the time, however, only essential journeys were permitted under Scotland’s lockdown rules.

Gaiman went on: “Since I got here Skye has had its own tragic Covid outbreak – ten deaths in a local care home.

“It’s not set up to handle things like this, and all the local resources are needed to look after the local community.

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“So, yes. I made a mistake. Don’t do what I did. Don’t come to the Highlands and Islands unless you have to.

“I want to apologise to everyone on the island for creating such a fuss.

“I also want to thank and apologise to the local police, who had better things to do than check up on me.

“I’m sure I’ve done sillier things in my life, but this is the most foolish thing I’ve done in quite a while.”