A FURIOUS dad has claimed the Vue cinema chain refused to refund tickets he bought so his 11-year-old son could see a film later given a rating of 15.

Gavin Cronie, 46, from Alsager, spent £30 to take son Aiden to see a documentary about virtual band Gorillaz in Newcastle-under-Lyme as a Christmas present.

2 Gavin Cronie was told he coudn't get a refund after buying a child's ticket to a film about virtual band Gorillaz that his son was too young to see Credit: BPM Media

He booked tickets for the December 16 screening on December 2, before an age certificate for the film had been confirmed, because he didn't want to risk them selling out.

"It was a one night showing of the documentary film," Gavin told Stoke-on-Trent Live.

"My son loves Gorillaz and has listened to the CDs since he was little so I thought I would buy us tickets."

But when he looked at his tickets online, he saw that the film could only be watched by children 15 years and over.

Deciding to get a refund for the tickets and buy Aiden something else for Christmas, Gavin phoned Vue's customer services, but after a 90-minute wait was told he would only be offered vouchers to spend on a different film.

A child's ticket at the Vue covers children aged two to 12, and Gavin says he should never have been allowed to buy one for a film rated 15.

"I don't want a voucher. We don't really go to this cinema," he said.

"Our local cinema is Odeon in Crewe. We were only going to Vue in Newcastle for this one-off showing."

"If they had put the certification out to be 15, I wouldn't have booked the tickets in the first place.

"They shouldn't have been put on sale until they knew what age it was going to be."

'HE WAS GUTTED'

Gavin says he should be allowed to get his cash back, and that he still hopes to be able to arrange a different treat for Aiden.

"My son knew I was taking him the pictures and then I had to tell him we weren't going. He was gutted," he said.

"I was really looking forward to it and I wanted to film my son's reaction when we got there.

"My partner and my daughter were going stay at home and have a pamper evening while the boys went to the cinema.

"I want to do something just me and him.

"I'm always at work in the day… and I didn't want to take anyone else.

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"If I was loaded I wouldn't mind, but I'm not loaded and £30 is £30."

Vue has been contacted for comment.

2 Vue has told Gavin he could only get vouchers for a different film Credit: BPM Media

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