A Devon couple whose mobile phone was stolen during a holiday in Africa are facing a bill of more than £8,000.

Zyg and Rosemary Gregorek's T-Mobile phone went missing during a one night stop-over in Johannesburg in November.

The couple realised the phone was no longer in their suitcase the day before they were due to return to the UK about a week later. They reported the phone missing on returning to the UK on December 5.

The Gregoreks, from Halwill in north Devon, later received a 49-page bill totalling £8,115.29. It revealed the phone was in almost constant use from the time it was stolen, with calls made to countries such as Pakistan, Qatar, Senegal and Ethiopia.

Mr Gregorek, 40, said he had complained to T-Mobile but was told his wife, who owns the phone, was liable for the entire bill.

'They just don't seem to give a monkeys. We are devastated. We can't afford that kind of money we are not destitute but it's beyond our means,' he said.

Mr Gregorek criticised T-Mobile for not spotting the upsurge in phone calls and cutting off the line sooner.

'My wife's bill has never been more than £15 per month and they are aware of that. It was completely irresponsible of them to let the bill run up as much as it did,' he said.

Patrick Barrow, head of external communications at T-Mobile, said the company had cut off the Gregoreks' phone several days before the couple reported it missing.

'The contracts are very, very clear that up to and until the point where a customer reports the phone stolen they are liable for any expenditure run up,' he said.

'We stand by the fact that this couple have to pay. We will look at the best way to approach this but we won't waive the bill.'

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