A MILESTONE celebration for a Rowley Regis teenager who survived a serious heart defect at birth, was marred when the wrong make of limousine arrived at his home late to take him and his friends to their school prom.

Ashley Baggott, was only given a 30 per cent chance of pulling through 20 hours of open heart surgery at 10 days old and his parents were told to be prepared for the worst.

So proud mum and dad Julie and Kevin Baggott wanted to give their fit and healthy 16-year-old a special send off to his high school prom - a day they feared they would never see - and booked his dream vehicle, a Range Rover Sports stretch limo.

But when the hired vehicle finally arrived at their Windsor Road home almost 45 minutes late Julie said she “could have wept” to see a Ford Excursion Lincoln turn up instead.

“It wasn’t what he wanted, it was very late, so they only had a 25 minute drive in it, instead of the hour that was booked and it still had polish down one side that hadn’t been rubbed off,” she said.

Julie said she stumped up £500 for the limo treat, but refused to pay the full £800 she claims she was quoted and is now asking for a partial refund on what she paid, after taking advice from Sandwell Trading Standards.

The vehicle had been booked via the internet from the Derby depot of the nationwide Krystal Limousine Group and Julie has complained to the company claiming breach of contract and that it contravened the Supply of Goods and Services Act.

But Krystal’s operations manager Sid Brasco said they had been forced to take the Range Rover Sports limo off the road that morning because it had developed a “knocking noise “ and he denied that the alternative limo had arrived late or with polish streaks on the body work.

“There were about six customers who had to be let down and it was not possible to supply all of them with an alternative.

He claimed the driver’s notes stated that Ashley and his friends spent 55 minutes being driven round in the limo. He denied that a quote of £800 had been given, saying the full amount of £415 had been paid and no discount would be allowed for the wrong make of vehicle being sent.

Ashley enjoyed the St Michael’s High School prom at David Lloyd’s Gym, Brierley Hill, and is looking forward to embarking on A-levels at Halesowen College in September.