A retired couple who went on a sight-seeing tour of the Highlands were left fuming when they were forced to sit on a coach – for more than ten hours a day.
Derek and Julia Limbert paid £699 for the five-day trip which promised to take in “some of Britain’s most stunning natural scenery.”
But instead of enjoying the famous landmarks, they were forced to endure a staggering 62 hours sat on a coach while it crawled around the Scottish Highlands.
Tour firm Diamond Holidays claimed tourists would explore Oban, Mull, Iona and Skye, but the pensioners spent most of their holiday looking out the window.
When they did finally arrive at their destinations, they had either missed their ferries to the islands or it was too late to see anything and they were forced to turn back.
Mr Limbert said they had paid for a tour of Scotland but all they got was a tour of the inside of a coach, with the only visits to toilets in service stations.
“I would have seen more of the Highlands if I had stayed at home and looked the places up on the internet,” he added.
When they got back home, the 74 year old wrote to the operating company, claiming the trip was a breach of the Trades Description Act.
The company then apologised to the couple and gave them £20 each in complimentary vouchers which Mr Limbert said was “insulting”.
In one letter dated August 3, Diamond Holidays customer service advisor Sophie Hickey wrote: “I would like to reassure you that all of our trips are carefully planned to ensure that all arrangements, from transport to hotels, run as efficiently as possible.
“We hold regular operational review meetings and I will ensure that your comments are used to improve our service where possible.”
Today it was revealed that the company has now offered the couple a full refund, which it is understood they have accepted.
They have also planned another trip to Scotland, using a different tour company.
