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A company with a conscience has gone more than the extra mile in a display of outstanding customer service.

Northumberland holidaymaker Hazel Lindley returned from a holiday in Holland with a souvenir windmill.

However, ahead of her taxi ride home, the driver inadvertently placed something heavy on top of the ornament, and it broke.

But in an amazing display of customer service, the taxi firm sent the driver all the way to Holland and back for the sole purpose of getting Ms Lindley a replacement.

The grateful holidaymaker said the company had “made her day”.

Hazel, who lives at Felton, near Morpeth, travelled to Amsterdam for a short break, picking up the quirky wooden souvenir while there.

On arriving back in the North East, she booked a ride home with Tyneside based EastCoast Taxis.

But when the driver was packing her belongings into the car, he crushed the bag containing the windmill leaving it ruined, Hazel upset, and the driver embarrassed and apologetic.

When Tyneside based EastCoast Taxis’ managing director Paul Irwin heard about what had happened, he decided to put things right.

“With more than 200 taxis on the road carrying 70,000 passengers every week, we do expect the odd mishap, but at EastCoast, we like to look after our customers.

“We know that the souvenir windmill wasn’t expensive, but the fact is Hazel couldn’t get a replacement anywhere other than Amsterdam and that was the challenge.”

Paul sent the driver, Kevin Gregg, on a 48-hour mercy mission across the North Sea to locate a replacement wooden windmill.

This he managed to secure from the famous Bloemenmarkt, Dutch for flower market, in the heart of Amsterdam.

“I was delighted to find the windmill stall and bring a replacement back to the customer,” said Kevin. “I was devastated about the original and when Paul asked me to go to Amsterdam to find a replacement, I didn’t hesitate. It’s the most unusual taxi request I’ve ever had.”

The new windmill was presented to Hazel after being carefully wrapped up in protective bubble wrap for the long journey home.

“They really made my day,” she said. “I couldn’t believe the level of customer service they have shown. I’m sure other firms would simply have apologised and left it at that.”