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Archives for September 2009

First Choice - Sickness at the Holiday Village Turkey

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Rob Unsworth - editor | 12:53 UK time, Thursday, 24 September 2009

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First Choice update - 22 October 2009

First Choice claimed the problem had gone away. Yet we're still getting reports of families coming back sick. However, we persuaded First Choice to allow our hygiene expert Lisa Ackerley and her team to go out to The Holday Village and investigate. They're in Turkey now - and we'll let you know what they find.

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Have you booked an easyJet flight that may never take off?

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Mariam, web team | 12:46 UK time, Thursday, 24 September 2009

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Update from easyJet: 22 October 2009

"On 3 September easyJet entered into a consultation with staff over proposals to close our East Midlands base, which is a legal requirement. No decisions have yet been made, regardless of some reports in the press.

"The nature of the consultation means that the staff whose jobs may be at risk are given priority and they are the first to be informed of any decisions.

"We appreciate this is inconvenient and frustrating for passengers, but all we can confirm at the moment is that customers who are booked to fly with easyJet on flights departing or arriving at East Midlands during 2009, including the Christmas and New Year period are unaffected.

"Customers who have booked to fly in 2010 will be notified of the outcome of the decision once reached.

"easyJet has agreed to offer as a gesture of goodwill the ability to apply for a refund/re route to or from another easyJet airport to those passengers who have booked to travel to/from East Midlands in 2010.

"easyJet did not initially offer this as it would offer refunds/re-routes in the event that a decision to close the base was made. However, given the customer feedback (and despite the fact that no decision has been made), we will now do so."

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Alastair Campbell investigates £1m scam

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Joe Mather - series producer | 10:49 UK time, Thursday, 24 September 2009

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In May this year Britain's most famous spin doctor Alastair Campbell came close to falling for a very elaborate scam.

He received a card through his door from North London-based Parcel Express UK telling him he had a parcel waiting for collection and that he'd have to call them and pay a £2.20 fee on his credit card for it to be re-delivered.

Rather than pay the fee over the phone he decided to go down to the company's depot in North London, the address of which was on the card. When he arrived he found an industrial estate with a block of rental offices - but no depot for Parcel Express UK. He did however find a man who told him, "Don't tell me, another £2.20 fee - it's a scam".

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Checking your gas man's credentials

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Rob Unsworth - editor | 17:44 UK time, Monday, 21 September 2009

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With an estimated 7,500 illegal gas fitters in the UK, rogue gas fitters never fail to make it on our Rogue Traders' radar. Around 20 people every year die from carbon monoxide poisoning caused by gas appliances and flues that have not been properly installed, maintained, or ventilated.

This year, a new scheme for Great Britain and the Isle of Man is aiming to reduce dangerous gas work and carbon monoxide incidents. Established in April 2009, the Gas Safe register has replaced Corgi as the official registration scheme for gas workers (Corgi is still the official registration scheme in Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands). So if you're not Gas Safe registered, you can't work with gas.

We investigated two illegal gas fitters, Brian Lloyd and John Carslake.

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Where are those Jackson tickets?

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Rob Unsworth - editor | 19:30 UK time, Thursday, 17 September 2009

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512_michaeljackson.jpg

Many of you have told us you're still waiting for Michael Jackson souvenir tickets. We find out what's going on.

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Sony PlayStation 3 and the "yellow light of death"

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Rob Unsworth - editor | 18:25 UK time, Thursday, 17 September 2009

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When Sony launched its latest PlayStation in 2007, they described it as a super powered entertainment machine. No longer just a games console, the PlayStation 3 could play high-definition movies and digital TV, store photos and music, and connect to the internet. It sold for £425, making it the most expensive console on the market, but that was ok, because it was built to last, right? At the North American launch of the PS3 in November 2006, Sony Computer Entertainment President Kaz Hirai told CNN, "I think the investment the consumers make on day one with the PS3 is an investment that they can enjoy for many, many years to come."

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Growing Talent, shattering dreams

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Rob Unsworth - editor | 17:24 UK time, Thursday, 17 September 2009

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Growing Talent is a company that offers the chance for people aged between five and 25 to learn about showbiz from the best in the industry. The event sounds great, it is full of classes, workshops and you are even given the opportunity to perform in front of top agents and casting directors. They are currently advertising for people to attend next years 2010 event in Barcelona, however the Growing Talent experience doesn't come cheap. To attend it will cost £1235 and that doesn't include flights or accommodation. There's also one thing they don't mention. This year's 2009 Growing Talent event never happened and so far everyone who's paid up for it - hasn't had their money back.

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Are we eating too much salt?

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Rob Unsworth - editor | 15:53 UK time, Thursday, 17 September 2009

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Many every day healthy branded products from the UK's top supermarkets have unacceptable levels of salt and should not be labelled healthy according to some leading experts.

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Adrian Pengelly's healing hands

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Rob Unsworth - editor | 17:42 UK time, Wednesday, 16 September 2009

Comments (69)

 

512_pengelly.jpgAdrian Pengelly claims he can cure cancer using an energy that he transmits through his hands - an incredible claim we decided to put to the test. But not before we'd sampled his skills as an animal healer and as a man who can get a ghost to leave your house - either the nice way, or the nasty way.

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Should sunbeds have an age restriction?

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Rob Unsworth - editor | 18:24 UK time, Thursday, 10 September 2009

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Many young people could be damaging their health by using sunbeds according to recent World Health Organization (WHO) guidance which has placed them in the highest risk category for causing cancer. So we sent 16-year-old EastEnders actress Melissa Suffield to investigate.

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Bed company still up to its old tricks

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Rob Unsworth - editor | 18:17 UK time, Thursday, 10 September 2009

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A BBC Rogue Traders investigation has discovered that adjustable bed company Craftmatic UK Ltd is still using bullying and pressure-selling techniques, despite appearing on the programme in 2005.

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Supermarket school uniforms put to the test

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Rob Unsworth - editor | 16:47 UK time, Thursday, 10 September 2009

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supermarket_uniform_badges.jpgSupermarkets are battling to provide the best school uniform buy. They're coming cheap, with entire shirt, sweatshirt and trouser combos going for £3.75-£6. Each uniform has their own unique claims: Tesco say their clothes have 'dirt defenders' are Sainsbury's say theirs are 'easy iron'. ASDA promises theirs will 'last 100 days'.

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Virgin Media 'bills dead people'

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Rob Unsworth - editor | 16:43 UK time, Thursday, 10 September 2009

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We've all been there, hitting a brick wall when dealing with a big company and a customer service department that doesn't work. But for Virgin Media customers this couldn't have happened at a worse time.

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Pushing pushchairs to their limits

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Rob Unsworth - editor | 15:08 UK time, Thursday, 10 September 2009

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After complaints about problem pushchairs to government helpline Consumer Direct rose by 64%, we set up a series of unique tests at Silvestone to put 14 buggies from the UK's leading brands through their paces. TV and radio presenter Gabby Logan - whose twins have gone through a total of nine pushchairs - helped our team of Crash Test Mummies through the challenges.

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Watchdog update

Watchdog's back on air this week and as usual, we'll be exposing the companies and individuals that leave you out of pocket or offer appalling service. We'll be relying on your letters and emails to uncover bad practice and get results!

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