Pensioners on coach trip complain about spending too much time on a coach

A retired couple have lashed out at a coach trip company after they spent most of their holiday stuck in their seats rather than seeing the sights.

Derek and Julia Limbert paid £699 for the five-day tour of Scotland but they were left fuming when they spent 62 HOURS in the vehicle.

Tour firm Diamond Holidays claimed tourists would explore Oban, Mull, Iona and Skye in the Scottish Higlands, but the pensioners spent most of their getaway staring out of the window.

To make matters worse, when the couple did finally arrive at their destinations, they had either missed their ferries to the islands or it was too late to see anything and they were forced to turn back.

Views from a window: The couple spent most of their holiday in their coach (SWNS)

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Retired secondary school teacher Derek, 74, stormed: “It was a disaster from start to finish.

"We had paid for a tour of Scotland but what we got was a tour of the inside of a coach - our only visits were to go to the loo in service stations.

"I would have seen more of the Scottish Highlands if I’d stayed at home and looked the places up on the internet.”

Derek and his wife Julia, 73, were picked up from their home in Sutton Coldfield, West Mids., at 6.20am on Jul 15.

The coach then picked up several other tourists in England before they even got to Scotland, where they then had to change coaches.

Brief: Stops on the tour were shorter than the pair had hoped (SWNS)

After finally arriving at their hotel in Stirling at 9pm, Derek and Julia had a quick sleep before setting off for Oban early the next morning.

Derek added: "The 80-mile journey took so long that we were not able to visit any of the sights of the town nor did we visit Lismore, which the itinerary suggested we visited.

"In fact, it took about nine-and-a-half hours. We arrived just in time to get a wash before rushing down to our evening meal.”

Their holiday went from bad to worse when a misunderstanding of the departure times for the ferry meant the coach party missed their visit to the isle of Iona - the couple’s main reason for choosing the holiday.

Break: The couple were attracted to the tour of the scenic Scottish Highlands (SWNS) 

Day four saw the couple spend five hours reaching the Isle of Skye - where they spent one hour before having to board the coach again.

The couple have complained to tour operator Diamond Holidays - who gave the couple two £20 vouchers, which Derek described as “insulting”.

Diamond Holidays said their position remains the same as in previous letters to the couple.

In one letter dated August 3, Diamond Holidays customer service advisor Sophie Hickey wrote: "I would like to reassure you that all of our trips are carefully planned to ensure that all arrangements, from transport to hotels, run as efficiently as possible.

"We hold regular operational review meetings and I will ensure that your comments are used to improve our service where possible.”

Top pic: SWNS