'Disappointed and let down' as Condor cancels islands' sailing

The new £50m. vessel developed an electrical fault with the engine control unit on her forward main engine on Tuesday evening while sailing from Guernsey to Poole.

But after the Liberation had already left Poole Harbour, the problem reoccurred and, due to Jersey's tide, the ferry operator said it was unable to call into Guernsey on the way to Jersey and therefore had no option but to cancel the 10.30am Guernsey to Jersey leg.

It left unhappy islanders, including twins Paulette McEneaney and Denise White, 59, pictured, frantically trying to salvage their trips.

The pair were given the option to be transferred onto the 5.20pm conventional Clipper service, but, to ensure their overnight trip was not cut short, they instead managed to book a last-minute flight.

'It was only this morning around 9am that I looked at my phone and saw the text from Condor that it was cancelled. I tried to phone their office but it wasn't open until 9.30am. They should have a back-up vessel like Aurigny because when its new jet had teething problems at least they had back-ups,' the retired counsellor said.

Mrs White added: 'We are just disappointed because we were all ready to go and to be only informed an hour or so before is not good enough.'