Dad of murdered Elle Edwards claims B&B turned him away after 'hearing scouse accents'

• Video John May and Tim Edwards say it was not the welcome they expected.

A grieving father says a B&B owner in Devon told him she "didn't care" about his charity walk in memory of his murdered daughter Elle Edwards as she turned him away.

Tim Edwards and friend comedian John May are in the final stages of a 250 mile walk from Merseyside to Land's End to raise money for Elle's foundation.

It was set up the wake of the 26-year-old's murder on Christmas Eve last year.

The friends had pre-booked B&B on Thursday, 17 August in Devon - only to be turned away by owners who "heard their scouse accents" and accused them of drinking.

John, an actor and comedian who has paused his career to support Tim, claimed the owners squared up to them when they arrived later than planned at the hotel in Devon.

John said in 42 years, that he had never experienced discrimination like this as a result of coming from Liverpool.

He said: "We had just finished walking and were in the middle of nowhere. We arranged a taxi to come and get us, so called ahead to let the B&B know we were on our way. She asked us if we had been drinking which we hadn't."

"She rang back and told us 'we have children here'. We knew she was going to be trouble. It seemed she switched as soon as she heard the accent. When we pulled up her husband came out and started puffing out his chest.

"Tim told her I'm walking in the name of my daughter and they said 'we don't care about that'. We didn't even make it through the front door."

John said it was only when they rang the police to say they have been left abandoned in the street that the guest house owner's attitude changed.

The taxi driver who had taken them to the hotel, tried to intervene with the owner and then helped them find alternative accommodation for the night.

Tim and John set off on the last leg of their walking challenge on 7 August and are expected to arrive at Land's End on 24 August - both of their birthdays.

The walk aims to not only raise funds for the Elle Edwards Foundation, but also raise awareness about anti-gun and knife crime across the world.

John said: "The owner has called us today and apologised. She told us the way she acted was not the kind of person she was.

"She told us she would make a donation to the fundraiser.

"I was tossing and turning about bringing the B&B's treatment to attention, but they were aggressive and shouted in our face.

"They were willing to leave us in the middle of nowhere. We are trying to do amazing things."

ITV Granada Reports has contacted the B&B for comment.