RAC boss apologises after rescue refused

A NURSE who was refused roadside assistance by the RAC because she had left her credit card in her submerged car has received an apology from the company's chief executive.

RAC boss Chris Woodhouse phoned Sarah Tosh about the incident which left her stranded in the South Gloucestershire countryside during Monday's floods and rewarded her with a year's free membership.

Ms Tosh, who is in her early 40s, became stranded on her way back from a 10-hour nursing shift when her Toyota cut out in the inundated Stidcote Lane, late on Monday night.

But after wading to safety, Ms Tosh was refused assistance from the RAC without prior payment due to the nature of the breakdown.

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Unfortunately, Ms Tosh, from Charfield, had left her credit card in the flooded car. To her disbelief the RAC would not make a compromise despite her 22 years of membership. She was eventually saved by a passing 4x4 which pulled her car to dry land.

Her outrage, first reported in the Post, led to an apology from company head Mr Woodhouse, who called her late on Wednesday evening.

Ms Tosh told the Post: "To be honest, it was really good of him to call. I wasn't expecting it, but it was fair to apologise. I said to him he needs to discuss the way his personnel talk to people stuck out on the road – especially loyal members.

She added: "Looking back, I was just so cross and I couldn't work out why they were being so unreasonable at the time.

"But I think the company realises it made a mistake now."

RAC chief executive Mr Woodhouse said: "I rang Ms Tosh personally to apologise and express my disappointment at the way this situation was handled.

"This was an unusual and unfortunate incident and not how we seek to serve our members.

"The adverse weather of the last few days obviously put our call centre team under a lot of pressure but this was no excuse for not looking to help a long-term member who really needed our help.

"RAC prides itself on the quality of service it gives to members which is why 98 per cent of our members say they would recommend us to their friends and family."

A spokesperson for the RAC added: "Looking into this case in more detail, we feel we should have shown Ms Tosh some flexibility in how she could pay our call-out fee, particularly as she has been a loyal RAC member for 22 years.

"As a result our chief executive has apologised to Ms Tosh personally and offered her a year's free membership as compensation for the way she was treated."