Mum's laptop woe as Amazon box contains cornflakes

Lizzie Pattison is warning other parents to be careful when buying gadgets online

A mother said she was "flabbergasted" when she went to wrap a laptop from Amazon and found the shipping box stuffed with cartons of cereal instead.

Lizzie Pattison, from Lichfield, Staffordshire, said she ordered the computer in October as a Christmas gift for her daughter.

She had kept the parcel hidden until Wednesday, she said, when rather than bytes she found bites to eat.

Amazon has since offered her a refund after first refusing to do so.

The discovery was made outside of the 30-day returns window, causing Ms Pattison to fear the cornflakes would leave her hundreds of pounds out of pocket.

She said Amazon initially told her that as the returns period had elapsed, it was not prepared to investigate what had gone on.

The mum opened the parcel to charge and wrap the laptop before Christmas but instead found two boxes of cornflakes

Ms Pattison said she had bought the device to help her 10-year-old daughter, Daisy, with SAT exams next year.

She said: "My main worry is that there is going to be a number of children on Christmas morning that are going to open what their parents think is a tablet or a laptop because they have not opened the box."

Ms Pattison said she had bought the laptop to help her daughter Daisy with school studies

Following the BBC's investigation into Ms Pattison's experience, she has been told by Amazon that she will be refunded and also receive gift vouchers worth £40.