THE Gazette has come up trumps for Ilkley pensioners Rose and Philip Porter after the long-running saga to get their money back from a mail order company came to an end this week.

The Porters had been trying for seven months to get the money they were owed after a shopping trolley they bought collapsed the first time it was used.

The trolley, costing £59.99, had been ordered as a Christmas present by Mr Porter, 70, for his wife Rose, 68, after he saw an advert in another

newspaper.

After it collapsed on a visit to the Tesco supermarket in Springs Lane, the couple sent the trolley back to the Prestige Engineering (Medical) of Tilbury, Essex.

"That was when the fun started," said Mrs Porter.

The couple said they made numerous telephone calls to the company and had been promised their money back, but not a penny had arrived since the beginning of the year.

"As far as I am concerned they are just fobbing us off - they have the money and they have the trolley" said Mrs Porter.

Mr Porter said: "I have no faith in that firm whatsoever. They want a stick of dynamite behind them."

The couple could have taken the company to court but they were not prepared for the long and expensive business of using the law to get their money back.

Instead they contacted the Gazette at the beginning of this month. We telephoned the company and a spokesman admitted that the Porters should have had their money after returning the goods.

It was then promised by the end of the next week but when nothing arrived in the post we contacted them again and told them about the stories we had been doing in the newspaper.

We also pointed out to the spokesman that all the Porters and now the Gazette had been getting for the last eight months were false promises of return telephone calls and 'cheques in the post.'

Despite putting the telephone down on the Gazette and saying that the Porters "could get in touch with Trading Standards if they want," the company was finally galvanised into action.

This week a cheque for £60 arrived on the Porters' Yewbank Terrace doorstep.

Although it was not the full amount of £67 including postage for the return of the faulty trolley, Mr and Mrs Porter were delighted.

Mrs Porter said: "We are grateful for your help - you put yourself out to get us our money and we really appreciate it.

"We have got the money we paid for the trolley and it's all thanks to you. We haven't got the postage refund but we have to be grateful for small mercies."

l If there are any other consumers out there who feel that a little publicity might help them to get reasonable treatment, the Gazette would like to hear from them. We cannot promise to win your case for you but our reporters will certainly try and help if they can.