CROSS-CHANNEL passengers returned exhausted after a nightmare day trip to France.

Their return journey was cancelled because of a breakdown on Newhaven's Super-SeaCat 2 ferry and passengers had to travel to Calais to sail back to Britain.

Many had taken the high-speed service to enjoy a day's shopping in France but were shocked when they arrived to find stores closed for a public holiday. They insist they should have been warnedbeforehand.

Today, Hoverspeed apologised and offered disgruntled passengers a 50 per cent discount on their next journey.

One unhappy traveller, Gill Batterbee, finally reached her home in Patcham, Brighton, at 2.20am yesterday , nearly five hours after her expected arrival.

She had to work that day at Worthing Hospital where she is bed manager and her 12-year-old daughter had to go to school.

Mrs Batterbee, 47, said: "We drove miles in France looking for shops that were open, paying tolls on some roads, but none was and we gave up.

"Then we had to drive 106 miles to Calais. We had gone to France on a reduced-price offer but what should have been a cheap trip cost us a lot of money because of all the petrol we used."

Mrs Batterbee said she was grateful for Hoverspeed's apology and offer but added: "They should sharpen up - people's jobs are at stake with that service and everyone wants it to succeed."

Hoverspeed services were back to normal yesterday andbooking staff have been reminded to warn trippers about French holidays.

Spokesman Kevin Charles said booking staff have a list of holidays and are asked to tell people when they make bookings.

He said: "I can't explain what happened on this occasion but I apologise to Mrs Batterbee and anyone else inconvenienced."

He said the ferry service, launched just before Easter, has proved more popular than expected and he insisted it has been reliable, although some sailings had to dock at Bologne because of bad weather.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.