Redcar mum's 'hurt' after Xmas gifts lost by Evri

Ms Freeney said she chose Evri as it offered next day delivery and she wanted to post the gifts well before Christmas

A mum has said she was left "hurt and upset" after a box of Christmas gifts she sent to her children were lost by delivery company Evri.

Sarah Freeney from Redcar posted the parcel on 8 December for her two children living in Glasgow - with next day delivery - but it never arrived.

Evri has "apologised for any distress caused" and has compensated Ms Freeney.

But she says the experience has left her "scared to order anything online" in the future.

"I spent weeks buying the gifts which included socks and toiletries, a jacket for my son Ben and a hoodie for my daughter Jess as well as fancy coffee and hot chocolate," she said.

"I wrapped them up with crackers and mince pies as a surprise but it never arrived and it's left me hurt and upset."

It was the first Christmas Ms Freeney had spent away from her children, who are both in their 20s.

The BBC found parcels were strewn on the ground at the County Durham depot

She said she was frustrated she could not speak to anyone at Evri after not receiving an update to a tracking message saying the parcel had arrived at a local depot.

Before Christmas the BBC found Evri parcels were being sorted in the car park of a County Durham depot.

It led North Durham Labour MP Kevan Jones to call for the company to learn lessons to cope with future demands.

Ms Freeney said she and other customers had seen messages like this, but their parcels never arrived

Eventually Ms Freeney was told her parcel was lost.

She added: "They shouldn't advertise a service they can't deliver, they don't even seem to care."

A spokesperson for Evri said: "We have reached out to Ms Freeney who covered and valued her items at £100. We have settled her claim along with an additional £100 of goodwill."