Joao,
thanks. I agree with your analysis. I think that I will get my money back from one of them, and legally ezy are on the hook. .
My main reason for posting this sorry saga was to alert others to this scam.
I'll try a letter to the papers, but UK newspapers rather prefer their advertisers to their readers..............and tour Co.s are one of the few bits of UK plc that appear to advertise a lot.