Woman charged £430 for two balloons at Christmas light show
Celebrating Christmas if you have kids could set some parents back hundreds of pounds.
There are the presents under the tree, the chocolate treats, and the trips to Winter Wonderland, or other fairs, where rides, stalls and toys amount to a small fortune.
Like any other parent, Amy Lloyd was left in a state of distress when she found out two balloons for her sons cost her £430.
‘I’ve heard of inflation but for two balloons that is ridiculous,’ the 36-year-old said.
Amy and her husband John travelled 25 miles from their home in Cwmbran, South Wales, to take their sons Jacob and Jorgie to the festive lights show at Bute Park in the grounds of Cardiff castle.
The boys spotted a man selling fairy light balloons inside the gates, and instantly asked for one each.
Wanting to treat her children, she went to buy two balloons, which were priced at £30 for the pair.
Without thinking much, the mum paid on her card, tapping in her pin code – but did not spot that an extra 4 was added.
Amy said: ‘It was all a bit of a rush so I quickly tapped in the pin and that was that.
‘The next day the bank messaged my husband to say that £430 had been taken out of our account.
‘He rang them and they said the money had been paid by card to a company called Fairy Lights Balloons.’
Organisers of Christmas at Bute Park said the over charge was down to a simple human error and that a refund of £400 will be made to the parents.
‘It’s a lot of money, especially at Christmas,’ Amy stressed. ‘At least we are hopeful we can get the money back.
‘I’m just worried that this may have happened to others too.’
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