Paul Stidworthy, from Coundon, was on a family holiday in the Algarve when his flight home was cancelled.

When he took the car to Budget Car Hire at Birmingham Airport he was told he would be charged £1,500 under the terms of his rental agreement.

A spokesman said the fee was "standard" for one-way journeys, covering expenses for returning the vehicle.

Mr Stidworthy said he had looked for alternative ways to get his family home, after flights to the UK were suspended on Thursday due to the Icelandic volcanic eruption.

He said: "I have been advised to try and negotiate with the hire car company at Birmingham Airport but things are still up in the air at the moment."

The spokesman for Budget Car Hire added: "It is not being treated as theft and the car has been taken from the customer."

The company said that Mr Stidworthy had not made it clear he intended to drive the car to Britain when he hired it.

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