麻豆约拍

Also known as obstacle races, these events are all the rage and not just with adrenalin junkies. People of all ages and fitness have been taking to the muddy tracks. But although it鈥檚 a fun day out, it can also be a risky business.

In October last year, Amanda Tudor signed up to the iNVNCBL run in Cardiff, but ended up getting more adventure than she鈥檇 bargained for when she fell on the slip and slide.

She said, 鈥淚 looked down and thought 鈥榦h my foot isn鈥檛 meant to face that direction鈥�. Instantly I just fell to the floor and said to the marshal 鈥業 think I鈥檝e snapped my ankle鈥�.鈥�

But she found there wasn鈥檛 much official help on offer.

鈥淗e (the marshal) didn鈥檛 have a foil blanket or anything to put on me and didn鈥檛 know the location of where we were鈥�another marshal came over from one of the other obstacles, but didn鈥檛 know our location either, so that made it difficult for the mountain rescue team then to come sort of pick me up.鈥�

Luckily for Amanda, 3 paramedics were racing behind her who stayed to help. They got her off the slide, fashioned a splint out of the course material and helped her get down the hill and eventually to the safety tent.

From there, Amanda鈥檚 husband rushed her to hospital where she discovered the full extent of her injuries.

鈥淭he x-ray showed I broke my foot in three places, and had dislocated it as well. My foot was so swollen, they weren鈥檛 able to operate straight away, so I ended up having to have a metal frame on my leg.鈥�

Amanda had to wait two weeks for the swelling to subside before having her operation. It could be a year before she鈥檚 back up and running again.

Fortunately for her, iNVNCBL include personal injury insurance in their entry free, but this is far from standard.

The Association of British Insurers says mud runners should ask the organiser if personal injury is included or offered as an add-on, The say if you have your own cover, make sure obstacle course races are included. They also point out that specialist insurers do exist, so consider getting event specific cover.

X-Ray contacted the organisers of the event where Amanda broke her leg. They told us they couldn鈥檛 comment on her case, for legal reasons. However, they did say that like all sports, obstacle course racing carries a risk of injury. And they reiterated that they are the only company in Wales currently including personal injury cover as part of the entry fee. They say their races are carefully planned and risk assessed and that everyone who takes part is given a full health and safety briefing.

Retired mechanic Mike Powell, from Swansea, bought a Mitsubishi Shogun from Prestige Motor Group for 拢5,000 in September 2016, but had a nasty surprise when six months later two high court bailiffs came to his home with a warrant to repossess his car.

It turned out there was outstanding finance on the vehicle from a previous owner and, to Mike鈥檚 horror, the bailiffs drove it away that night.

Prestige Motor Group insist they check all their cars for outstanding finance. So the next day Mike went in search for answers from Ceri James, who runs the business with his son Shaun.

Mike said: 鈥淗e told me he had the paperwork saying that the car was clear of HP. I thought great. Up the garage I went, but he couldn鈥檛 produce the paperwork.鈥�

Mike says Ceri James later promised to give him a replacement vehicle, but he never did. Mike鈥檚 now bought himself a van and is planning legal action to get his 拢5,000 back.

It鈥檚 not the first time X-Ray has encountered Ceri and Shaun James. In 2012, their business was called Cars2Go and was based just a few hundred yards up the road from where Mike bought his car. They sold Nathalie Amphlett a Mini with a dodgy gearbox, and gave her courtesy cars which were dangerous or untaxed. She only got her money back after X-Ray got involved.

And two years ago we got Gareth and Joy Rees their money back after they bought a faulty Land Rover from the James family.

They鈥檙e now at a new location on the edge of Swansea, where Dane and Juliet Elliot bought a 拢9,000 Range Rover Sport in early December.

The car seemed fine at first until they noticed an issue with the temperature gauge. Dane called the garage who were happy for them to return it to be fixed.

After several delays Dane was told the car had finally been fixed and the garage even delivered it back to his home, but the couple say there was no key.

They say Prestige Motor Group came up with a variety of excuses, including trying to blame their neighbours and the postman.

For six weeks they鈥檝e been unable to use their Range Rover. They claim the garage promised them a new key, but there鈥檚 been no sign of it.

Dane and Juliet have been waiting so long that Prestige Motor Group has now changed its name to Fabian Motor Sales.

X-Ray wrote to Ceri and Shaun James but had no response to our questions, so we sent Rachel to pay them another visit. Shaun did eventually agree to speak to us.

When Rachel questioned him about his father鈥檚 promise to replace Mike Powell鈥檚 vehicle, he said: 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know anything about that at all. When I bought that vehicle it was not on finance.鈥�

He also promised to send us copies of the HPI check he says he did on Mike Powell鈥檚 car and said he鈥檇 already offered the Elliots some of their money back. However, they want a full refund.