Man 'let down' after car burnt at Bristol Airport fire

A man whose car was written off in an airport car park fire claims he has been "left out to dry".

Stephen Williams, from Langport, Somerset, got back from Prague to be told by Bristol Airport his car was one of 11 damaged on Sunday.

He said: "I went to Bristol with a car and now I'm at home without one through no fault of my own."

Bristol Airport said: "We recognise the upset this incident has caused and appreciate this is concerning."

Mr Williams, who works as a civil servant in Yeovil, was boarding the plane back from Prague on Sunday when he got a text to say he needed to call customer relations at Bristol Airport.

Upon arrival he was met by an airport employee who told him his Honda Civic had been damaged in the fire.

The following day his insurers Ageas told him the car would be written off.

Mr Williams, who works as a Civil Servant in Yeovil, said: "So I am left with no car, no money to buy a new one and no way of getting to work except on my motorbike in the winter ice and rain.

"I am a civil servant on a small salary and have been left out to dry - by companies which will make a bigger profit this year at my expense."

Avon Fire and Rescue said they are still investigating the fire and added the cause is thought to be accidental.

"I do not know how I am going to get to work now, I work all the way down in Yeovil so this is a problem," Mr Williams added.

Mr Williams said he also feels let down after an airport employee initially told him the airport would provide him with a courtesy car only for another employee the following day to say this was not the case the next day.

Mr Williams said: "The first employee said they'd get me a taxi home and if the car is not drivable I would be provided with a hire car.

"The next day I asked about a replacement car and a second employee told me that I wouldn't receive one.

"I told them what the first employee had said and they said that was not correct."

A spokesperson for Bristol Airport said: "Customers were offered either a taxi home or a hire car rental for 48 hours, paid for by Bristol Airport.

"Customers will need to take up their individual claims further with their own car insurance provider."

Mr Williams said his insurer Ageas said they will send a salvage company to collect his car and although the company intially said such a claim would affect his no-claims discount, it has now said it will not.

Since the BBC has been in touch with Ageas they have offered £1,974 for his car, he added.

The company has been approached for comment.

Follow BBC West on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: [email protected]