A mum is fuming after she spent £100 trying to win a soft toy in a claw machine at an arcade. We've all been there.
Thirty-four-year old Cheryl Holden was on holiday at Camber Sands Holiday Park, East Sussex, when she visited the arcade and decided she wanted to win a toy for her five-month old son Ashton.
But that was easier said than done with the machine, which costs a quid for goes, and Cheryl had quickly run through £40. Ouch.
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At this point, she went over to a member of staff and complained about the machine. She claims that the staff member took a look at the machine, changed a setting and on her very next go, Cheryl finally got her hands on a Dumbo cuddly toy. Woohoo.
Cheryl says that once she won, the same staff member adjusted the settings again.
Now, not quite content with her win - Cheryl decided she wanted a second toy for little Ashton. So, over the next few days, Cheryl went back to the arcade and spent another £60 but didn't win a second toy.
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Cheryl decided to complain.
"I was not abusive or anything," she said. "I raised my voice because I was angry, but I was trying to make it clear to other parents it's not possible to win a teddy bear and it's rigged."
While in the office airing her concerns, Cheryl spotted the manager's phone number and gave him a ring.
She said: "I phoned the manager, I asked when would this be getting resolved. He said, 'how did you get my number?'.
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"He laughed it off and said my complaint form won't get me anywhere. He said, 'you can put as much money in, £100, but you still won't win it'."
Cheryl has been visiting the holiday park since she was a kid and says she has always enjoyed visiting but this teddy bear-claw machine debacle has left her feeling pretty frustrated.
She added: "My son is five months old, but if he was old enough, he would probably be upset."
Thankfully, he isn't, so he's not and he looks pretty happy with the Dumbo toy his mum won for him.
Playnation, who operate the arcade, has said it won't be able to comment on the claims made by Cheryl until the company has 'completed a thorough investigation'.
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The company's people and social responsibility director said: "Please be advised that Playnation Limited is a professional organisation which takes all customer complaints seriously.
"We operate in a highly regulated sector and are licensed by the Gambling Commission and the Local Authority to do so we take our licence obligations very seriously.
"We are fully committed to keeping crime out of gaming, ensuring gambling is conducted in a fair and open way and to protecting children and other vulnerable adults from being harmed or exploited."
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