VICTIMS left stranded by the collapse of an Ilkley taxi firm are being urged to club together to sue for their money back.

Many customers lost money following the collapse of Skyline Atlanta, a company specialising in taking people to and from airports in the region.

Some were left waiting for rides which did not materialise, almost missing their important holiday flights.

Sheila Acaster and her husband Brian were left waiting for a taxi outside their Leeds Road home in December even though they had paid £125 for the return trip to Manchester Airport.

The firm, which changed hands last year and moved to new offices in Keighley, collapsed in December with drivers being laid off and premises shutting down.

Customers and former staff have been unable to find the owners, Dave and Karen Simms, who are believed to live in Rochdale.

After waiting more than one hour, Mr and Mrs Acaster get a cab from Ilkley Taxis to take them to the airport where they just managed to catch their flight to the Dominican Republic.

Mrs Acaster was left very angry by the experience but has been told there is little that can be done to get back her and her husband's money.

She contacted the West Yorkshire Police fraud squad who looked into the matter but said there was nothing they could do.

She has been advised to contact a solicitor but does not want to spend vast amounts of her own money chasing a relatively small bad debt.

Now Mrs Acaster has been contacted by another disgruntled former customer who intimated that she might be willing to help contribute to legal fees.

Mrs Acaster hopes that others might also join in her fight for justice.

"If we can get a few people together who would be willing to help out I would take it further. If anyone is willing to ring me I will go ahead," she said.

Mrs Acaster's telephone number is (01943) 603529 and she is hoping to hear from more Ilkley residents who are owed money by the firm.

She added: "But there is no guarantee we will get our money back."

The Citizens' Advice Bureau has advised that even if the Official Receiver takes on the case of Skyline Atlanta, small creditors would still be unlikely to get their money back.

Anyone who paid by cash or cheque would have to wait until receivers or liquidators had been appointed to deal with the firm. At the time of going to press, liquidators had not been called in.