PARK AND HIDE
Bristol Airport parking firm probed by cops as cars dumped in muddy lanes and crammed into farmers’ fields
Dozens of holidaymakers complained they were left stranded and without their vehicles after touching down at Bristol Airport
COPS have launched an investigation after an airport parking company was accused of dumping holidaymakers' cars in muddy fields.
Dozens of stranded travellers said they were unable to locate their cars for several hours after touching down at Bristol Airport - the UK's fifth biggest airport outside of London.
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Recent pictures show families' vehicles left unattended in nearby lay-bys or crammed onto farmers' fields.
Police said they are investigating the incident after a "significant" number of motorists were unable to recover their vehicles from a "meet and greet" parking firm.
Bristol Airport said Absolutely Secure Airport Parking was not connected with the airport.
The company is yet to respond to requests for comment.
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Yesterday holidaymakers were pictured queuing outside Absolutely Secure Airport's offices after they landed and found they couldn't get to their cars.
Some claimed they waiting in line at Hyatts Wood Road for more than 24 hours, as irate customers were forced to search for their vehicles in the nearby area.
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Passengers returning on a flight from Amsterdam first tried to collect their cars on April 6, but staff were not responding to their calls.
After waiting several hours and phoning the police, a member of staff from the firm gave holidaymakers a string of different excuses.
Eventually people stumbled upon their muddy cars in countryside roads, lay-bys and even a pub car park.
Were you stranded at Bristol Airport over the weekend? Get in touch on 02077824518 or [email protected]
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Lee Drinkwater who was reunited with his Mercedes Benz after nine hours, said they were told drivers had gone on strike.
The Royal Marine added the reason for the delay was then changed to be due to an accident.
This caused some of the customers to panic as they couldn't find any details of an accident in the nearby area.
When they found their cars he told the Press Association: "The vehicles were stored in lay-bys, farmers' fields, down dirt tracks. They were not in secure locations as advertised."
He added that up to 30 families were among those waiting for their cars on Friday.
"They were cold, tried and hungry," he said.
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Others took to social media to express their anger.
A man using the Twitter name @CouchyY41 wrote: "I was part of this fiasco. We landed 4.30pm Friday 6th and had our car back 3.30pm Saturday 7th!
"Prior to having it back, we had to travel back to Swansea and then back to Bristol! Then back to Swansea again once we had the car! Absolute chaos, what a mess!"
Karen Middlemore, who landed at Bristol Airport at 11.20am last Friday said her car was "absolutely filthy"; and her battery was flat because they left her light on.
The passengers all made bookings with meet and greet companies online, according to reports.
Their bookings, although with different websites, are then sub-contracted to Absolutely Secure Airport Parking.
A Bristol Airport spokesman told Bristol Post: "We are aware of a number of passengers on their return to Bristol Airport experiencing difficulties in contacting an off-site car parking provider.
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“The company is an independent business and is not connected to Bristol Airport.
“The ground transportation and police teams have assisted passengers impacted by the off-site car park operator.
“As this company is not connected, or the responsibility of Bristol Airport, any complaints will need to be addressed to them directly.”
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