A pensioner's holiday to Jersey turned into a 'fiasco' after she was refused travel for having no photographic ID.
Iris Butler, 81, who lives in Alnwick, paid just under £1,000 for the coach holiday through Travelsure but says she was not told it was policy for people to have a photographic ID to travel to the island. It wasn't until the coach party arrived at Poole ferry terminal and a member of staff came onboard to check IDs that the problem came to light, with Iris quickly realising she'd left her driving licence at home.
Iris was forced to make the lengthy 388-mile journey home along with eight other passengers who also had no identification. She said: "They are saying we have already had two days of holiday, I would say we have had two days of hell, never mind holiday.
READ MORE: Northumberland bookshop named one of the most beautiful in Europe
"There are eight other people besides me who are affected. We all booked through Travelsure to go to Jersey. There is nothing in the 2023 brochure to say you needed a photo ID to get access to Jersey.
"There is nothing on our invoices or anything we received from them to say that." After staying overnight in Southampton, the coach group travelled to Poole on Monday to catch the ferry.
Iris said: "Someone from the craft came to talk to us and there were two people at the very front of the bus who immediately said I haven't ID. So immediately the problem became aware at that point and the lady said you need ID. We were told to look for ID, bus pass, driving licence or passport.
"I stupidly hadn't transferred my driving licence to my new purse which is what a couple of other ladies had done. They had tried to lighten their load and not transferred everything over. They were asked if they'd take a photograph of our ID but at the end of the day they said no, they wouldn't accept a photograph.
"They then went on to ask if anyone could access our premises. I couldn't because I have no family and live in a retirement block of flats and I said sorry I can't.
"The idea was if we couldn't transport one of the IDs to Travelsure they'd send an overnight courier and possibly get us on the next day ferry but that wasn't suitable."
The passengers were offered alternative holiday options but the group decided to return to their homes. Iris said she hadn't considered looking at the Jersey website for further travel information.
She added: "Some knew about it because they had been on the Jersey site. I hadn't been on the Jersey site. It was a right fiasco.
"Personally I'm quite an intelligent person and I hadn't thought to look on the site. I stupidly didn't put my driving licence in my purse.
"If it has happened to us, it could happen to other people travelling to Jersey on their own."
A spokeswoman for Travelsure said the passengers would be given a full refund for their holiday.
She said: "We booked our Jersey tour through a wholesaler and we were not advised by the wholesaler/ferry company on their travel documents of the requirement to carry photographic ID. We had already provided the company with the full names and dates of birth of the passengers travelling.
"On the day the ferry company would have accepted any form of ID including a bus pass, library card or driving licence but unfortunately nine passengers on board the coach were not carrying any form of ID with them on holiday. The ferry company would not accept emailed versions of the ID."
The spokeswoman said an alternative holiday to Bournemouth or travel home was offered, with passengers declining the alternative options and transport home organised.
She added: "A letter has also been sent out this morning to the nine passengers involved containing an explanation and full refund for monies paid.
"As a company we are extremely upset by the events which occurred and will be following this up with our wholesaler.
"All travel documents for future holidays have been amended advising passengers to take photographic ID with them when travelling on holiday. All European holidays also state the need to carry a passport."
