Can't answer 1. I'm afraid.
2. Very def straight back to UK unfortunately. The most restrictive flight duty period is for a very late / very early report. Even with that, a 2 sector day the flight crew can do 10 hrs 15 mins from report to chocks on back home.
1 hour report, 2 * 4 hours sectors (not normally that long LGW-LPA) and a 1 hour turnaround is just inside this. Reporting at more respectable times of day this is easily acheiveable.