Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
HONEYMOON HORROR
■ Cottage crawling with rats ■ Blood splattered on walls
A disgusted Shawhead couple endured a “honeymoon from hell” when their romantic getaway to an idyllic cottage was ruined by repulsive rodents.
Lovebirds George and Pauline McMahon fled Pond Cottage on the Carmichael Estate near Biggar during the early hours of their wedding night after being plagued by incessant scratching from inside the property’s walls – a noise they initially feared was burglars trying to break in.
Despite capturing the rodent invaders on a webcam along with other evidence of their presence – including blood on the walls and gnawed food – the couple’s complaints were dismissed by the cottage’s owner, who even claimed the scenario had been “set up” and told George and Pauline never to return.
An irate George, 53, told the Advertiser: “We got married at Airdrie registry office on February Fe 8 and, following a meal at The Tudor Hotel, went straight str to the cottage.
“Pauline loved it there and we travel to the Carmichael Es Estate once a month to take ph photos, so I booked a fournight nig stay for our honeymoon as a surprise.
“That night we began he hearing very strange noises; I’m a grown man, but it was qu quite scary as it sounded like so someone was trying to get in.
“But we soon realised the no noises were coming from w within and the scratching
became like cinema surround sound, it was so loud.
“We couldn’t stay any longer so packed up and left at 2am.
“Before we left, we set up a webcam to see if we could find out what was causing this and, upon checking the footage at home, saw a rat on-screen.”
George and Pauline, 50, returned the following day armed with their video evidence, but the company’s subsequent handling of their concerns has left a bitter taste.
George explained: “We only got to talk with a woman working in the shop and showed her the video footage and let her hear audio we had on our phones.
“She was full of apologies but no-one from Carmichael Estate came to speak to us.
“We then asked if we could make sure we had all of our belongings as we left in such a rush.
“When Pauline and I went back into the cottage, there was bread all over the worktop and dragged to where the fridge was situated.
“There was also blood splattered on the wall and on the side of the fridge.
“We think the rat – or rats – must have injured itself as there were bloody rat footprints on the bread and worktop.
“We later emailed our video and photographic evidence to the estate’s owner Richard Carmichael, and his reply was absolutely disgraceful.
“It stated, ‘George... thanks for your stay in our cottage and your four years of walking in my estate! Amazing that someone had set up your wedding surprise experience in this way in our cottage.
‘Good luck with your married life and please, please do not come back to my farm’.
“To suggest we had made this up is downright ridiculous; I am a 53-yearold man, not some wee ned out to get money out of him.
“The response actually annoyed us a hell of a lot more than the issues with the cottage.
“Mr Carmichael spoiled what should have been the happiest day, and weekend, of our life; we’ve talked about nothing else since.
“Now when we celebrate our wedding anniversary we are going to be reminded of this terrible experience.”
The Advertiser contacted the Carmichael Estate on several occasions without receiving any response.
However, within days of our enquiries, the company refunded George and Pauline for their stay at Pond Cottage, having previously made no offer to do so.
Despite this the couple are still fuming about their treatment.
George said: “You only get once chance at a honeymoon and ours was ruined.
“Although we’ve been to the estate before, this was our first time staying.
“Mr Carmichael banning us from his estate is like punishment for us informing him there was a problem in his property, which wasn’t even our fault.
“He has not dealt with this matter correctly; he hasn’t contacted us with an apology, not just regarding the rat but also for his unbelievable response and accusations.
“His holiday cottage should be maintained regularly and made secure from rodents and other wildlife.”