A teenager who spent 10 weeks before and after school working in a shop to save up for Christmas has been told he won’t be getting paid.

Jay El-Leboudy, 15, had been working mornings and evenings in his local Londis for over two months in a bid to save up for gifts for his family.



However, when he came to collect his overdue wages he was told by the boss that he wouldn’t be getting them – as he was on unpaid work experience.

Furious mum Zoe Buckwell said the store’s owners – who were family friends – had arranged an internship with the view of taking him on part time.

She says he had been working two days a week at the shop in Canterbury, Kent, since.

She told The Canterbury Times: “Jay worked nearly every day during half term.

"He always made the effort to be there on time and worked way past 9pm, which was the time we agreed.

"Ten weeks on, when Jay was working twice a week 5.30pm until 9, he hadn’t received any pay.

"He was hoping to have his money in time to buy Christmas presents.”

One of the stores owners told the paper he had never agreed a wage.

He said: “I said to her [Jay’s mother] that he’s only 15. The law says he’s not allowed to work and because we sell alcohol, he’s not allowed in lots of areas, but he is allowed to follow people around.”

A fundraising website has since been set up for the 15-year-old.

(Credit: Flickr/Alan Myers)

