A NEWPORT mum was left feeling a little bitter after she was sent 48 cans of beer as compensation for losing more than £1,000 in Farepak's collapse Former Farepak agent Debbie Harvey of Alway ordered hundreds of pounds-worth of hampers for her family and her eight customers.

When the firm went bust in October, she was left counting the cost and wondering how she could afford to feed her family this Christmas.

Then this month there was a ray of hope when the government announced that 19,000 hampers would be sent to Farepak customers as a "goodwill gesture."

But Mrs Harvey was shocked this week when she recieved her hamper to find that instead of the Christmas food she was hoping for, it contained 48 cans of best bitter.

Mrs Harvey, 41, said: "When I opened it I just went mad. I'm teetotal for a start and I haven't had a drink in three years.

"I didn't order any alcohol and neither did any of my customers. We all ordered food for our families to enjoy Christmas. What do they expect us to do with 48 cans of bitter?"

On Saturday Mrs Harvey was sent another hamper, this one containing tinned food, but she says it is not enough to make up for her loss.

"There isn't even a week's worth of shopping there," she said.

"It goes nowhere near to helping me or any of my customers."

Mrs Harvey plans to pass on the food and drink to a local retirement home for their Christmas party.