TICKET holders for the proposed Atomic Kitten and Lulu concert are still waiting for their money back more than six weeks since the show was cancelled. This week they received a letter asking for 'patience and understanding'.

The out-of-pocket would-be concert-goers have been told by the show's promoters, Okehampton FirstAid, that refund applications will be 'processed as quickly as possible'.

The letter states that it had been hoped refunds could be made within the 28-day turnaround. However: 'due to the receipt of expected match funding not having been received, further time will be required'.

The ongoing saga of show cancellations and ticket refund delays has divided local opinion between anger and a certain amount of sympathy.

Gina Burdus from Kempley Road spent £70 on tickets and said that while the letter was at least a long overdue communication she was 'not hopeful' of getting her money back.

'There are an awful lot of angry people. A lot of people in Okehampton have lost money. Now we have a letter saying be patient. We have to be — we haven't any choice.'

Mrs Burdus said the letter might help — but there needed to be more information.

She said she was told that you could not expect the concert to go ahead if people were not prepared to pay in advance. 'I did that — and got a smack in the face. I just wish I had got my money back first time around.

'If this goes on for months these people will not support Okehampton when the town does something that is good for the area. It will be devastating for a long time. People will be angry with this and it will knock on into anything that Okehampton does.'

Mrs Burdus believed the town council should get involved. 'Someone has to stand up for the people of Okehampton.'

Jane Risdon from Broadwoodkelly was one of a group of family and friends who purchased a total of 26 tickets costing £425.

'We booked in October and then found out in November that it was cancelled until February.'

She decided to hang on to the tickets but now regrets she did not ask for a refund at the time.

Mrs Risdon went to the concert in the park organised last summer — having bought tickets on the day.

'It was disappointing that it was badly supported. Atomic Kitten and Lulu sounded like a really good concert,' she said.

Mrs Brenda Randle, of Moyses Meadow, Okehampton, bought two tickets — one as a surprise birthday present for her 16-year-old daughter. She sent two letters requesting a refund — the second with a proof of posting certificate — but had no reply.

'It is not good enough. All it takes is a quick phone call saying we have received your letter. To hear nothing I think was a bit much,' she said.

Pauline Russell, of Leaholes Avenue, Okehampton, had bought three tickets — costing her £37.50.

'I'm fed up because the concert went from one venue to another — and then it was cancelled. Now we haven't even got our money back,' she said.

'I would have seen it through and gone to Exeter — but to cancel it again is a real shame.

'I was taking a couple of children and they were looking forward to it,' she said.

Donald Rooke, who made his menswear shop in Fore Street available for booking tickets for the concert, said it was a 'wonderful thing' — and if it had gone ahead it 'would have been brilliant'.

He said: 'Nothing ventured, nothing gained. It has been proved this sort of thing can be done with the concert that went ahead — the Concert in the Park.'

Okehampton mayor Christine Marsh — who was a proposed trustee of FirstAid until she resigned in December — said the concert organisation had suffered a 'bad chain of events' to begin with.

'I think it was a bit ambitious to go in quite so big immediately. I think it would have been better to go smaller and build it up.'

She said the present situation was not helping anyone. Cllr Marsh hoped everyone could pick themselves up, look forward and learn by the mistakes.

The letter from Okehampton FirstAid states that it is currently not trading but being administered by an 'acting' director — there are no other officers of Okehampton FirstAid.

The company is operating from a correspondence address only at Room 2, Bridge House, Fore Street, Okehampton, to enable the collection and administration of requests, claims and correspondence.

The letter says everything possible is being done to bring this situation to a successful conclusion but points out there are 'limited' human resources. 'Therefore your patience and understanding is requested at this time,' it says.

People will be informed of any progress as soon as possible by mail.

The letter states: 'The Okehampton Times, the Ockment Centre, the town council and the ticket outlet premises or employees have no obligation to Okehampton FirstAid and do not have any information regarding the current situation.'

The concert cancellation was announced by Okehampton FirstAid at the beginning of February. It came just two weeks after the concert was switched from Simmons Park to Exeter University.

At the time people were invited to apply for refunds and allow 28 days for a refund cheque to be processed.

Okehampton FirstAid said that period was necessary as refunds had to be authorised.