Family's shock £3,000 phone bill

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A mother is having to find extra cash to pay a mobile phone bill after her son ran up a Â£3,000 debt.

Oliver Jenkins, 17, of Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, used a Vodafone phone to connect a computer to the internet.

His mother, Shirley, who pays his Â£40 a month bill, said they thought internet connection was included in the cost.

Vodafone has agreed to reduce her bill by about 25% but stressed that she was given information about internet usage when the phone was purchased.

Shortly before Christmas another customer from the North East ran up a Â£27,000 bill by doing the same thing.

'Stunned'

Oliver, an engineering student, said he connected his laptop to his phone for about one hour per day to run up the bill.

Ms Jenkins, a chef, said she was stunned when she saw the bill.

"I was stunned beyond belief. I felt like collapsing in a heap," she said.

"I did not realise there would be a limit (on internet use).

"I thought that as it was internet enabled it was unlimited."

Even though she has come to an agreement with Vodafone she said she will still struggle to pay the bill.