A NEWPORT couple claim a South Wales travel company showed them no compassion when a family bereavement forced them to cancel a trip.

Andrew and Cheryl Payne, from Rogerstone, lost nearly £250 when Mr Payne's father fell ill and Cardiff-based Ticketline refused to change the dates of their London break.

Mr and Mrs Payne say they are disgusted with the way the company treated them.

Mrs Payne said: "Not only did my husband lose a father, he lost hundreds of pounds too."

The couple booked the weekend in London and tickets for West End show The Lion King with Ticketline back in May and were due to travel on July 24.

The trip was to be a late Mother's Day and birthday treat for Mrs Payne. But with just days to go before the long awaited break Mr Payne's father, Francis, who had been battling cancer, took a turn for the worse.

On advice from hospital staff, Mr and Mrs Payne called Ticketline to explain the situation and asked to change the dates.

Mrs Payne said: "Imagine my surprise when I was told that we couldn't change the dates or have a refund as it was too short notice. How are you meant to have notice of a death?

"I can't believe they are such an uncaring company. I certainly won't be using them again."

Katrina Moggridge, director of Ticketline, told the Argus although she sympathised with the Payne's situation, there was nothing else she could do.

She said: "The show tickets were bought by us especially for the Paynes, the theatre don't give a refund and there was no time for us to re-sell them.

"And as the hotel was booked at a special rate it also had to be paid for in full.

"The Paynes were offered an insurance policy by us, which would have covered them in this situation, but they declined it."