Mum had 'no choice' but to make off with House of Fraser sofa

A house-proud mum says she had "no choice" but to brazenly make off with a £1,500 sofa from House of Fraser in front of shocked staff.

Fiona Boston defended her actions to ITV News after she and friends were filmed driving off with the suite from a store in Darlington in an act she dubbed "British justice".

The 52-year-old paid £1,500 for the sofa in late July, plus more than £700 for cushions, footstool and home delivery, just days before the cash-strapped company went into administration.

But when House of Fraser began delaying delivery, and after numerous phone calls, emails and in-store visits over a period of weeks, Ms Boston took matters into her own hands.

Ms Boston, whose husband is recovering from a brain aneurysm, told ITV News: "I hadn't slept for six weeks, I'd been taking anodyne and had a headache permanently. I'm worried - it's a lot of money.

"I just didn't seem to be getting anywhere, the phone calls, the emails, so I rang the police."

Ms Boston enlisted the help of friends to remove the sofa.

Ms Boston said she had fallen in love with the sofa "straight away", and had even cleared out her old couch in anticipation of delivery - meaning the family were using deckchairs in the family living room in the interim.

She said: "I was really excited, I thought 'right, get my skirting boards clean, really get my room ready for this new suite coming.'"

After weeks of trying, the sofa remained stuck in the store, despite £68 having been paid for delivery.

"I was so angry. I had no choice. My husband was sat at home on a deckchair. It's not acceptable," Ms Boston said.

"All those managers were going home, all those staff were going home sitting on a nice settee, but I wasn't."

The 52-year-old said she was worried sick over the money.

Ms Boston ensured cameras were set up and ready when she enlisted friends to help dismantle the sofa and drive off with it.

She said: "We'd just got it locked up and the managers came running out and were screaming 'this is theft'.

"No, theft is when you've taken the cash - hard-earned cash - and you won't give me the goods."

When the car carrying the sofa was pulled over by the police, Ms Boston told officers to call House of Fraser.

Although officers did not confiscate the sofa, Ms Boston remains angry with House of Fraser.

She said: "I'm more mad because I'm not going to get my poofy and my cushions off of them. How am I going to get them?"