IT promised to be the perfect Christmas dinner with all the trimmings.

Julie Munro and her family were looking forward to the bumper box of luxury food ordered for them as a festive treat.

But when the delivery arrived it lacked some of the essentials - not least the 6kg turkey.

Some items, including the mince pies, Christmas crackers and champagne, were replaced with alternatives.

But the big bird and peas, sprouts and Parma ham

were not delivered at all.

The food had been ordered as a Christmas treat by Julie's brother, Andrew, who works as a financial consultant in Bermuda.

He picked about £100 worth of items he thought the family would enjoy from Tesco's Internet home shopping service before paying for them with his credit card.

Dinner lady Julie, 43, of Havelock Road, Brighton, was so upset by the shortfall she decided to send the goods back and take her chances with the crowds at a rival supermarket.

She said: "My brother is embarrassed and upset. He feels he has let us down.

"We were really looking forward to all the fine food and trimmings and were waiting for it to be delivered.

"When it came it was unbelievable. I did not know whether to laugh or cry. I was so upset."

Julie's husband, Dugald, 46, suffered a stroke after falling off a ladder in June.

The couple and children Kirsty, 18, and 16-year-old Craig had hoped the delivery, from the Tesco store at the Holmbush Centre, Shoreham, would take the strain out of Christmas shopping.

Julie said: "My husband can't get about as much as he did.

"It would have been an absolute bonus for us not to go out doing heavy shopping. Everything was supposed to be taken care of.

"We will do our best to make it a good Christmas and try to not let this spoil it, but unfortunately it has been marred already."

A Tesco spokeswoman said: "We can only apologise for the disappointment caused in this case."

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