A COACH company's blunder led to a Japanese student making a round trip to Birmingham on a day trip from Worcester to Bristol.

Language student Kaori Yamazaki, who is taking a seven-week course at Kingsway English Centre in The Butts, visited Bristol.

As she boarded the National Express coach for home, she told the driver she was going to Worcester, but the coach did not stop until it got to Birmingham.

Miss Yamazaki arrived back in Worcester several hours late, after the company acknowledged the mistake and sent her home by train.

Her host, city councillor Rod Staines, is now demanding compensation for his guest, following the incident on Saturday, August 10.

He has written to National Express, pointing out that Worcester City Council is supporting a major effort to increase tourism.

"If we are going to increase efficient tourism in the Faithful City, mistakes like this cannot happen," he said.

"This might be an isolated incident, but it should not happen at all and especially not to a visitor who doesn't speak very good English.

"We cannot put up with shoddy services on our public transport. There is zero tolerance on this kind of thing."

Richard Ostick, director of studies at Kingsway English Centre, said he understood that Miss Yamazaki was "in a bit of a panic when she got to Birmingham" and was told that she had missed the last coach back to Worcester.

"The attitude seemed to be 'tough luck', but the passenger sitting next to her was very helpful and took her to the information place to complain about it.

"They weren't very helpful and I don't know how she would have coped on her own."

Bryan Bannister, PR manager for National Express, apologised for the error.

"She was travelling at what was a very busy time for National Express," he said.

"We apologise to Miss Yamazaki for this error and as a gesture of goodwill we would like to offer her a complimentary journey."