The AA has apologised to an eight months pregnant mum left stranded for seven hours 300 miles from home when her car broke down on the hottest day of the year. Laura Jenkins, 38, was returning home from holiday when her engine failed in the extreme heat and she dialled the AA rescue teams.
Laura – who is 35 weeks pregnant – waited seven hours for assistance as she sweltered in the hear along with her husband and nine-year-old daughter. She was trying to make her way home on the six-hour trip to Newcastle upon Tyne from a holiday in Pendine, Carmarthenshire, when their Kia car broke down shortly into the journey.
The family called the AA at 2.30pm on Tuesday but say a recovery lorry did not arrive until 9.30pm and they were forced to spend an extra night in Wales before a hire car could be sorted to get them home. Laura and husband Justin described it as a “nightmare” especially at her stage and with the extreme heat.
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She said: “I am a high-risk pregnancy and can go into labour early. I have been starting to struggle with my blood pressure and I can feel my body changing.”
Laura said they cut their holiday short so daughter nine-year-old Dacey-Faith could attend a school ceremony at Newcastle United FC. She said: “She was so excited and we wanted to come back a day earlier so she could have a good night’s rest but now she’s just missed out and is absolutely gutted. We have had to try and keep her positive, getting her to read books and keep her entertained, but she’s distraught.”
Laura said the family “bought loads of lollies” as they waited for the AA to arrive. She said: “We’re hoping that the AA will reimburse us for the hotel and breakfast. We just needed to get some sleep and we were told the AA would ring us but they haven’t and again I have had to chase.”
Upon returning to Newcastle she ended up having to go to the Royal Victoria Infirmary because of the impact of the heat. Her husband Justin, 48, said: “It’s just been an absolute nightmare with cars constantly cancelled, AA blaming the car rental company, and them saying it is the AA’s fault. The recovery drivers have been amazing but the process has been horrendous – just absolutely shocking. The boys have done everything they can.”
An AA spokesman said: “We are sorry for the delays in Mrs Jenkins recovery and issues with onward travel which fell short of the standards we expect. We have been in contact with Mrs Jenkins to apologise and have ensured we have covered any costs incurred due to their overnight stay plus a gesture of goodwill for the inconvenience caused.
“We deal with over nine million breakdowns every year and do our best to reach our members as quickly as possible. This breakdown occurred on one of our busiest days due to the heatwave and the associated challenges that came with it. Our apologies once again got to Mrs Jenkins and her family.”
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