Gift proves not to be experience mum had hoped for

0 Comments | Scunthorpe Evening Telegraph, Jun 12, 2010 | by David Elliott

THE mother of a soldier has criticised a company for refusing to refund a birthday present after her son was called up early to serve in Afghanistan.

Rebecca Dales, 42, of Wragby Road, Scunthorpe, bought a Pounds 285 driving experience package for her son, Oliver, to drive various rally cars at Prestwold Hall in Leicestershire today.

But she had to cancel after 18-year-old Oliver was called back to his Army barracks in Portsmouth after a planned tour to war-torn Afghanistan was brought forward by a month.

Despite the exceptional circumstances, Mrs Dales said she was stunned when the Leicestershire-based Everyman Racing refused to refund her booking.

She said when she booked the present she understood there would be no problem changing it if her son was called back to the Army at short notice.

She said: “I thought everything was fine until I was told their tour to Afghanistan has been brought forward from October to September.

“They have got an awful lot of training to do, including weekends.

“I phoned Everyman Racing to try and change it but they said ‘no’ because I declined to take out cancellation insurance.

“I asked at what point the insurance was offered.”

After speaking to the firm’s manager on Monday, Mrs Dales said she was told she did in fact have the insurance, but it would not cover the cancellation because it was due to a work commitment.

She said: “There must be able to be some leeway somewhere.

“The nature of the Army is that they can get called away at the drop of a hat.”

And she added that she was frustrated at being significantly out of pocket on the deal.

“I find myself in a position where I am nearly Pounds 300 out of pocket and I don’t think it would cost them anything for him not to turn up on that day,” she said.

“It is an awful lot of money for them to be able to say ‘that’s tough’.

“They don’t seem to want to help at all.”

A spokesman for Everyman Racing said: “We sell 60,000 vouchers per year and our customers include soldiers, firemen, policemen and ambulance drivers.

“Everybody has to abide by the same terms and conditions.

“These are tough times for businesses and these terms and conditions are there to protect us and protect the customer.

“We have no prejudices against anyone, especially soldiers, and we will be displaying and donating at a Help For Heroes charity event on Sunday.

“We are sorry Rebecca is unhappy but unfortunately, it is the same for any paying customer.”

I find myself in a position where I am nearly Pounds 300 out of pocket and I don’t think it would ” cost them anything for him not to turn up on that day Rebecca Dales