A CHORLEY pensioner has described her harrowing 16-hour ordeal at Spanish customs after being caught up in the recent border troubles at Gibraltar.

Anne Robertson (pictured), from Pingle Croft, Clayton-le-Woods, was holidaying in Spain with her two friends Anne and Peter Lane when they decided to go to Gibraltar for a day trip.

She explained how she and her two friends were held at the border because a Spanish trawler was arrested for fishing in Gibraltar's waters.

This sparked a border dispute which resulted in Spain closing off the border.

Anne and her friends were trapped for more than 16 hours at Spanish customs and say they were kept in horrible conditions without food and water in a customs building.

Anne, who went on holiday to try and get over the trauma of her husband's death last year, was angry and distraught at her treatment.

She said: "I am absolutely appalled at what has happened. It was horrific - all three of us were sat in black bin bags trying to keep warm while everything got sorted out.

"We got out of Gibraltar but the Spanish police just would not let us out of customs. Then, to my horror, they said they might even hold us for a further 72 hours."

Anne added: "We eventually got out round about 3am. I saw a car make off across the border - it nearly went straight through the barrier! We just ran to our car and followed it across."

Anne, who went to see Chorley MP Lindsay Hoyle about the incident, is demanding compensation.

She said: "We should be compensated in some way for what we have had to put up with. I'm a pensioner and I cannot afford holidays."

Mr Hoyle, who has written to Foreign Office Minister Joyce Quinn asking her to investigate this incident, said: "I am appalled to learn that my constituents were made to feel threatened and frightened when detained on the Spanish border last week.

"I have pursued this case with the Spanish Ambassador as I believe compensation should be offered to my constituents whose holiday was ruined and who have suffered nightmares since they returned to the UK."

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