Fury as post-holiday Covid tests arrive too late to use and firm refuses refund

Lorraine King was left high and dry when her pre-booked tests failed to arrive, but to make matters worse Nationwide Pathology refused to give them any discount

A holidaymaker has been left “furious” after her Covid test company sent her tests late – then refused her a refund.

Mirror journalist Lorraine King and her partner, taxi driver Martin Allen, had been on a trip to Mallorca, and booked two ‘day two’ Covid tests for £40 each from Nationwide Pathology.

Government rules at the time said these tests have to be taken within two days of returning to the UK from overseas, and they have to be pre-booked.

Lorraine found Nationwide Pathology on a Government list of Covid test suppliers.

But there was a problem – the tests didn’t arrive when they were meant to.

The fine for not taking a day two test is up to £1,000 .

Lorraine and Martin arrived back from a week in Mallorca on September 27, and the tests were meant to arrive on September 29.

Have you booked a Covid test that never arrived? Message mirror.money.saving@mirror.co.uk

She has called Nationwide Pathology and asked for a refund – only to be told the company wouldn’t give one.

Lorraine said: “I am absolutely furious. On the Friday [October 1] I called the company to say the test hadn’t turned up and I wanted a refund, and they have point blank refused to give me a refund.

“Instead they have offered to send out another test which is clearly of no use.

“Interestingly enough my boyfriend also ordered a test, and they didn’t turn up either and they won’t give him a refund either.”

An email from the firm to Lorraine, seen by The Mirror, said: “We are sorry but as shown on our website, we do not offer refunds for these tests.”

After Lorraine objected, the company did then send out the tests – but they arrived on October 5, far too late.

On October 5 the government announced that the need to take day two PCR tests would end later this month .

There has been no set deadline, but the government has said that they expect this to be around the end of October.

The PCR tests will be replaced with a cheaper lateral flow test.

Britain dropped its advice against all but essential travel for 32 countries and territories on Wednesday as it continued to simplify its coronavirus travel regime.

The government is still advising against all but essential travel for scores of countries and territories on its red list which include Brazil, Mexico, South Africa and Thailand.

Nationwide Pathology has been contacted for comment.