Wallasey Everton fans stranded after FA Cup semi-final at Wembley

Apr 29 2009 by Carrie Catterall, Heswall News

SIX WIRRAL teenagers claimed they were stranded at Wembley after their coach left with only a third of passengers on board.

The Everton fans said they boarded one of three Procters coaches setting off from The Primrose pub, Liscard, to watch their team play Manchester United in the FA Cup semi-final.

But when they returned after extra-time and a penalty shoot-out they found it had left without them.

Some of the fans left personal belongings on the coach and one of the teenagers had even left needles used for his nut allergy on board.

Ben Cameron, 18, said the driver told him it was their own fault because they were late.

But he said when passengers asked earlier when they must be back on the coach the driver didn’t give a specific time.

Another passenger Stuart Basnett, 18, said: “At the end of the day we paid our fare and came back to the coach as fast as we could get there.

“Three of the six of us stayed overnight in London and the other three ended up paying loads out on train fare in the middle of the night to get to Wolverhampton, before getting a lift back home.

“It was absolutely unbelievable and it’s totally put me off going on coaches to football games.

“Next time I’ll try my best to get a lift.”

A spokesman for Stoke-on-Trent based Procters Coaches declined to comment.