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Gillingham mum Rachel Edwards angry after being left behind at Farming World in Faversham

Pregnant Rachel Edwards with 18-month-old Ella Giles, Sophie Giles, four, and two-year-old Noah Edwards
Pregnant Rachel Edwards with 18-month-old Ella Giles, Sophie Giles, four, and two-year-old Noah Edwards

A heavily pregnant woman left stranded with her two-year-old son on a day out with a children's centre has criticised the organisers.

Rachel Edwards, from Gillingham, and friend Claire Giles took their three children to Farming World in Faversham with Gun Lane Children's Centre.

After spending the day at the farm park, the group walked back to the coach park ready to head home.

But when they got to the meeting point they found everyone else had already left.

Mrs Edwards, 28, said: "We thought it was strange no one else was around so we rang the organiser who said they were already on the motorway.

"She had moved the leaving time forward because people were bored and she had walked round letting people know.

"She said she wondered why there were empty seats on the coach when we left. How an earth can you leave with empty seats when the coach should have been full?"

The coach, which was almost back in Medway, had to turn around and pick up the final five passengers. Mrs Edwards and her family were left waiting for about 40 minutes.

Mrs Edwards, who is 28 weeks pregnant, said: "Everyone was hot and sweaty and fed up. It was really badly organised.

"They organise trips for children, which is worrying. What if they had left five children behind?"

Farming World has been a much-loved family attraction
Farming World has been a much-loved family attraction

Heidi Taylor, from the centre, said it was a "very unfortunate incident".

She said: "Many families had asked if the coach could leave early because it was a very hot day.

"The co-ordinator who was on the trip, with the best will in the world, went round to everybody and asked if they would like to leave early and everyone she spoke to said yes.

"She did a head count as people got back on the coach and she took a register.

"There was confusion with a little boy who changed seats. The coach did a u-turn and picked them up."


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