A disabled woman today criticised a Basildon taxi firm for allegedly leaving her stranded in the town centre late at night.

Amanda Smithson, 43, slammed Ace Taxi Group who she claims discriminated against her crippling disability. She hit out at the company after her weekly night out ended on a sour note.

She claims she was urged to walk to the nearest taxi rank to catch a cab.

Mrs Smithson, of Somercotes, Laindon, hobbles along on crutches and is certain to spend the rest of her life in a wheelchair as a result of her disability.

She has arthritis and a condition affecting the nerves in her neck and spine.

Her husband Malcolm makes sure his wife gets out of the house at least one night a week.

However, when the couple tried to get a taxi home from the Towngate pub, on Basildon's Westgate Park, after one social evening they found their usual company would not pick them up.

Mrs Smithson said: "We were told we would have to walk to the taxi rank outside the bus station. The company flatly refused to come to the pub to collect us.

"I always use that firm and the drivers are always very helpful. When I told them about the problems with getting picked up from the pub they said a disabled person should never be refused a lift.

"I am so angry. If I was able to walk to the rank I would get a bus - it would be cheaper.

"This is blatant discrimination. It is as if they are saying I can't have a social life because I am disabled."

The manager of Ace Taxi Group, who refused to give his name, said he was not aware of the incident.

He added: "It's very unusual to receive a complaint, because we pick up quite a lot of disabled people in the town centre. Obviously, we'll be looking into it."

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