Competition lover Yvonne Leach was pleased as punch when she was contacted by a holiday firm claiming she had won a European break.

But her delight turned to dismay after finding the "prize" would cost her cash.

The 44-year-old from Shipley entered the holiday competition featured in Chat magazine which was run by Swiss-based Flowerlink Touristik AG.

The advert offered prizes of an eight-day coach trip to South Tyrol or Lake Garda in Italy, worth £239.

Miss Leach said it did not specify how many people the holiday was for, and there was no mention of the winner having to pay any extra.

"I was under the impression it was like other competitions where it was a holiday for two people with everything paid except spending money," she said.

It was only after she received a letter from Flowerlink telling her she had won that she found out she would have to pay extra to go alone - or a companion would have to pay £209.

Miss Leach, who is disabled, and a friend decided to rearrange a Spanish holiday they had already booked near the same date so they could go to Italy as well.

They sent off a cheque for £40 deposit but she became unhappy about the holiday after being unable to contact Flowerlink's UK agent Champion Trading Services Ltd, and being told by Chat magazine that hundreds of others had received the same letter - even though the competition only offered 96 holidays.

"I thought it was weird winning a prize which was going to cost me £20 a night single room supplement - and most competition prizes are for two people."

"The magazine told me there were 96 runners up prizes of the holiday but Flowerlink had sent the same letter to everyone who had entered the competition," she said.

"I eventually stopped the cheque but it has caused me and my friend considerable inconvenience because we postponed the Spanish holiday to go on this one."

A spokesman for IPC Magazines - publishers of Chat and Woman's Weekly - said the company had launched an investigation following complaints about the competition, which was featured in both publications.

"It wasn't a competition run by the magazine - it was an advertisement by Flowerlink," he said.

"There were three top prizes and 96 holidays offered as runners up prizes.

"But we have had calls from about 1,000 who have had letters saying they had won.

"We took legal advice and have written to all the people who contacted us advising them not to send off the £40 deposit."

"Flowerlink have told us it was an administrative error and all the holidays would be honoured, and there would be no need for a supplement or for the second person to pay £209."

Champion Trading Services Ltd has failed to reply to messages left by Rights and Wrongs on an answering machine which also asks callers to phone a number in Germany if they have questions about Flowerlink.

That number is owned by a company called Princess Toursitik and Service, and its manager, Fred Schmidt, said it was the booking office for Flowerlink.

But he claimed the prize winners had won half a double room.

"If I go on holiday in a hotel and I go alone I have to pay extra for the room - that's normal," he said.

"It is not our problem if someone wants to go alone."

He did not deny Flowerlink had written to all the people who entered the competition and he added: "What is the problem? If you take the price of £209 for two people for a holiday in Italy it is very good."

New law to help victims of the dodgy dealers

Consumers are being urged to do more to fight dodgy dealers and cowboy firms.

The Office of Fair Trading says customers should take advantage of a new law which gives them more teeth.

The Unfair Contract Terms Regulations, which came into force a few weeks ago, enable members of the public to challenge a contract - even as far as the courts.

An OFT spokesman said consumers should watch out for contracts which use long and complicated sentences with lots of cross references, print which is small and difficult to read, penalty, exclusion or get-out clauses and contracts which say verbal promises are not binding.

"Some or all of these could mean that this is an unfair contract - unfairly weighting the contract in favour of the company and against the consumer," he said.

"If you suspect a contract is unfair, contact your local trading standards department which will be able to advise you."

He said the OFT had found double glazing companies, mobile phone suppliers and door-to-door sales reps were the worst offenders when it came to dodgy dealing and he added: "It's not just the cowboys - some of the UK's best-known companies have tried to get away with misleading their customers."

A free booklet entitled A Buyer's Guide - which explains legal rights when buying goods and services - can be obtained by writing to the Office of Fair Trading, PO Box 366, Hayes, Middlesex, UB3 1XB.

A high price to pay for good fortune

A psychic is offering to give Bradford people news that will bring them good fortune - for just £24.99.

Bingley pensioner Sylvia Barlow sent Rights and Wrongs a three-page letter she received from Switzerland telling her she was in line for a windfall of up to £100,000.

The psychic, calling herself Monique, claimed she started studying "a rare, strange sequence of special slow shooting stars" making their appearance on the Northern hemisphere for the first time in 77 years and benefiting people born on a certain date.

In the letter, she says she consulted the records of her clients from all over the world and could not find one with the same birth date.

The letter - posted in Gibraltar - continues: "Then for some reason, a file was brought to my attention bearing your name. It was one I hadn't seen before".

Monique spends the remaining pages trying to convince Mrs Barlow she is genuine and she cites satisfied customers like Thomas P. in Quebec, Canada.

But she never actually names the date of Mrs Barlow's birth, explaining that to do so could create a problem of confidentiality, especially as the date would be sent through the post and could fall into the wrong hands.

She says she will provide all the information for free, as long as the recipient sends a refundable £24.99. for a personal horoscope and for psychic counselling about the future.

But Mrs Barlow said: "It's a load of baloney - absolute rubbish.

"I get lots of these offers - from Australia and Canada - wanting your money.

"But I never go for them - I don't even play the National Lottery."

Rights and Wrongs sent the letter to West Yorkshire Trading Standards and a spokesman said: "I have never seen anything like it - whoever wrote it deserves a medal.

"This type of letter is particularly distasteful because it plays on people's hopes that one day things might get a whole lot better.

"The only person who will get any money is Monique - and she knows that because she's seen it in the stars."

Put it in writing, reps are told

Doorstep reps persuading householders to change their gas or electricity suppliers are being told to provide written details of prices.

The Association of Energy Suppliers says all sales staff of member firms will give householders prices and charges in writing before making a contract.

The assurance comes after a meeting with Energy Minister John Battle. Association chairman Philip Daubeney said: "Doorstep-selling is playing a large part in bringing a choice of supplier to the 26 million electricity and 19 million gas customers across the country.

"Some regrettable instances of bad practice by some doorstep salespersons have drawn the attention of the media and condemnation from the AES, but in fact there have been fewer than 2,000 complaints about marketing activity."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.