THE family of a cancer-stricken pensioner who was gearing up to celebrate her 50th wedding anniversary have been left heartbroken after the venue they chose to mark the occasion refused to offer a refund.

Sheila Wheeler, 69, and 72-year-old husband Leslie, of Park Road, Brierley, were looking forward to watching The Jersey Boys perform at Pastures Lodge in Mexborough with their family on September 30 before she received the news that she had to undergo a hysterectomy.

Daughter Lynsey Drury contacted the venue to inform them that they would not be able to attend the performance and the family’s group of 16 were given seats for the next performance, due to take place on November 25.

But things turned sour between the family and Pastures Lodge when Sheila was told her cancer had spread - meaning she would have to undergo radiotherapy - and would not be well enough to attend the rearranged date.

“My mum really is not well but the venue has shown no compassion at all,” Lynsey said. “We have told them about the situation and, because we paid around £400 up front for the group, they are not willing to offer us a refund. Celebrating just is not on our mind right now.

“It’s the last thing we want to be thinking about. Their attitude has been shocking and we are really taken aback by just how uncaring they have been.”

When contacted by the Chronicle, the manager from Pastures Lodge, who did not want to be named, said he ‘appreciated’ the family’s plight but refunds were not a part of its policy.

“We don’t normally alter bookings but out of the goodness of our own hearts we did exactly that and changed the initial date - we have already bent the rules. If one person can’t make it, the other 15 could.”

Read more in this weeks Barnsley Chronicle