Martin Cannon, from Hedge End, ordered a new oven from the Currys website in time to cook dinner for his family of four, after his previous one stopped working just days before Christmas.

However, when the new oven arrived on Friday, it came without a way to install it, with Martin fearing it would leave him no way to cook Christmas dinner for his family.

Martin said: “It is just unnecessary stress and the realisation that we’ve got two children under the age of five and no way to cook for Christmas.

"It was just literally the three wires – the earth wire, the live wire and the neutral wire – and no plug,” he said.

null (Image: Martin Cannon)

Martin contacted customer services and was initially told a replacement would be sent the following day. A second oven arrived on Saturday, but before it was even taken off the lorry, delivery drivers confirmed it also had no plug.

He rejected the delivery and spent hours on the phone with Currys' customer services trying to reach a resolution.

Martin, who is a financial advisor with twin daughters, was then told the earliest installation appointment available was December 27. “Are you kidding me?,” he said.

“Christmas is a difficult time of year, and I was looking forward to spending it with my family and I just don’t know what we are going to do.”

Thankfully, Martin's father-in-law has managed to wire in the oven to the house's electrics, meaning his Christmas meal crisis has been averted.

After the Echo contacted Currys for a statement, Martin says that he was offered £175 in compensation to resolve the matter, and the employee he spoke to blamed the wire woes on a miscommunication with the manufacturer.

But he said that it didn't make up for the stress he had suffered.

"Ultimately, I shouldn't have had to arrange for a plug to be fitted. It is not something I expected to do."

Martin added “it’s the principle", because the oven clearly stated it comes with a UK plug.

He added: “I just wouldn’t expect it to be so difficult, especially from someone like Curry’s.”

A Currys spokesperson said: “We apologise for the inconvenience Mr Cannon experienced while shopping with us.

"We are reviewing the matter thoroughly and, in the meantime, are pleased to confirm that it has now been resolved with our customer.”