Angry customers say they are being left in the lurch by a Huddersfield coach firm.

Broken-down vehicles, cancelled trips and empty promises have left people out of pocket.

Complaints have been made against Abbeyways Tours Ltd, which has a booking office at Upperhead Row near Huddersfield Bus Station.

Susan Schofield, 62, of Newsome, lost out when a trip to Harrogate Flower Show on September 13 was cancelled at the last minute.

Another customer, Anita Scott, 49, of Wheatley, Halifax, was left stranded at Doncaster Races. She was forced to pay £80 for a taxi home – but a promised refund never materialised.

And another coach company, Voel Coaches, which stepped in to help Abbeyways when one of their vehicles broke down in North Wales, has also been left chasing its money.

The Examiner reported in January how Abbeyways cancelled Christmas trips and shut its office, leaving angry customers unable to claim refunds.

The firm’s managing director David Davies later apologised and offered free trips as compensation.

Susan Schofield and friend Margaret Medley, 75, booked for the Harrogate trip and paid £12 each.

They were on their way to the meeting point when they called into the Abbeyways office to double-check the trip was still on.

They were told it had been cancelled and that the firm had left a voicemail the previous afternoon.

The friends had booked non-refundable show tickets directly and had to catch two trains and a bus, costing another £28.

Susan is now claiming £52 and says she was promised all her money back.

She has been to the office four times and has now given the firm seven days to pay up or she will go to the small claims court.

She said: “I have travelled with Abbeyways for many years but the last four trips I’ve tried to book have been cancelled.”

Council worker Anita Scott joined a Unison-organised trip to Doncaster Races on Saturday, August 3.

There were three coaches on the trip.

Anita, who went on the trip with her partner and two others, said the day didn’t get off to the best of starts when the driver admitted he didn’t know the way to the racecourse – and had to be guided in by passengers.

But worse was to come when passengers arrived back at the coach park at 8.15pm, the time agreed, to find all the coaches had left.

Anita said she understood there was a problem with one of the coaches. All the others left when full, leaving her and up to 50 others without transport home.

Eventually the race-goers were told to walk to a hotel about a mile away where minibuses would be sent to pick them up.

As the wait dragged on, organisers were told by Abbeyways that passengers could get taxis and re-claim the fares from the company.

Anita got a taxi home and paid £80.

She has repeatedly contacted Abbeyways but is still waiting for her money back.

She said: “I first contacted Abbeyways on the Monday and put it all in writing with a proper receipt and was promised I would be reimbursed.

“I must have rung half-a-dozen times and have been promised three times categorically that the money has been paid into my bank, but it’s still not there.”

Anita believes several other people also got taxis but isn’t sure whether they have successfully re-claimed the money.

Anita said she was disgusted with Abbeyways and Mr Davies.

She said: “I don’t know what’s wrong with David Davies. He has never rung me back. What kind of employer hides behind his staff and won’t even pick up the phone?

“What price does he put on his personal and professional reputation? In my case £80.”

The Examiner rang Mr Davies’ Bradford home and a woman who said she was his partner answered.

We outlined the three complaints and she said that Susan had received “a phone call on Friday to say the money was in the office.”

She added: “It’s there now as far as I know.”

She said she could not comment in detail on Anita’s claims, but added: “There were some people who were not prepared to wait for minibuses.”

When we asked if Mr Davies was available on his mobile she said: “It’s broken.”

Mr Davies returned our call later, but refused to listen to the complaints.

“I am not interested in speaking to you. You will print what you want to print. You did me no favours last year so I am not interested in speaking to you.”

He then hung up.

Abbeyways is also being chased for money by a coach firm which helped out.

Voel Coaches, of Rhyl, came to Abbeyways’ rescue – but has been left pursuing boss David Davies for �195.

Director Michelle Higginson told how Mr Davies made a phone call to the firm on Friday August 16, asking for help.

He spoke to Mrs Higginson’s husband, Martin, explaining his coach had broken down going to Llandudno.

He asked if they could send a coach to collect his passengers from the A55 near Abegele and take them to Llandudno, some 15 miles away.

Mrs Higginson said: “My husband spoke to David Davies on his mobile.

“The man said he was at home and his wife was ill and had just had a hip replacement and he was waiting for the doctor.

“While he was on the phone my husband heard him opening the door to the doctor and so there was no way he was going to push for payment then.”

Mrs Higginson said her husband collected the passengers and drove them to Llandudno.

Mrs Higginson said she had chased Mr Davies for payment several times since and been met with nothing but excuses.

“On one occasion he said he was at home and his credit card was locked in the safe in the office.”

“We rang twice the next week and spoke to the girl in the office and twice we have been promised he would send a cheque. At one stage we were given the cheque number. No cheque has arrived.”

Mrs Higginson, whose family firm was established 60 years ago, said Mr Davies would be gaining a bad reputation in the industry.

She added: “He doesn’t owe us a great deal and this is not about the money, it’s the principle. We stepped in to help another company out in an emergency.

“When people are in trouble you do your best for people and hope that others will do the same for you.”

Mrs Higginson has contacted the North Wales Coach Operators’ Association to warn other firms.

The Examiner contacted the Vehicle & Operator Services Agency (VOSA) to see if there had been complaints about the maintenance of Abbeyways’ vehicles but a spokesman said: “We are unable to comment on individual cases.”