A LAVISH wedding reception at a Bolton hotel left a sour taste for the newly-weds after they were pursued by debt collectors for cash they say they did not owe.

Company sales director Sergio Pani is adamant that he cleared the entire £1,967 bill for the reception at the New Pack Horse Hotel, in Bolton town centre, last September.

However, five months later debt collectors working for the Scottish-based hotel chain threatened Mr Pani with court action unless he paid a £209 "corkage bill."

And the company has told the BEN that despite Mr Pani's protests he DID owe the money. But the hotel was unable to contact him to tell him.

Mr Pani, who recently moved from Farnworth to Stockport with his new wife Beverley, explained: "Months after our reception a company working for the hotel wrote to me at my parents' house in Farnworth demanding we pay for corkage.

"There had been no other correspondence. The hotel had not been in touch earlier to tell us we owed them this money.

"It came as a complete shock as I had cleared the entire bill on the day of the reception and then double checked the following day.

"And the receptionist confirmed the bill had been paid in full."

Since February, when the debt recovery firm first contacted Mr Pani, he has disputed the additional charge.

He has been in regular contact with the New Pack Horse Hotel and the company's owners, McDonald Hotels, based in West Lothian.

He said after further threats of court action he felt he had to pay the bill.

He complained: "I was left with no alternative but to pay the bill. I have contacted the BEN not because of the money but because of the principle. I think we have been treated very shoddily."

He said: "We decided to have our wedding reception at the hotel because that was where my brother had had his. We had a great time and nothing seemed too much trouble on the day.

"But now with a baby on the way we would not even consider having a christening party there - or any other celebration for that matter.

"It has left us with a sour taste."

A spokesman for the New Pack Horse Hotel was equally adamant that Mr Pani did owe £209 for corkage and said it had "bent over backwards" to help.

She said: "We tried to contact Mr Pani for the bill but after three months it is dealt with by a collection agency.

"When he contacted us we apologised profusely for the delay but explained we could not get in contact with him.

"We offered him an additional stay of grace to clear the bill.

"I think Mr Pani has been treated fairly, he has paid us the money owed, but he is still complaining."

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