RED tape is being blamed for leaving one Hereford apprentice out of pocket.

O H Mower wanted to follow the government’s advice and give youngsters real working experience and an income.

The city gardening business took on Beth Lucas as an apprentice, believing it would receive £1,500 towards the receptionist’s wages.

But Oliver Headley, O H Mower’s owner, says the promised funding has not materialised.

He says funding was refused because the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) said he had already recruited an apprentice through Riverside Training within the last 12 months – a claim which O H Mower disputes, saying it only put another employee, Tal England, through a Riverside course.

Mr Headley feels let down by both the SFA and Riverside, especially after the latter wrote to him to say they believed he was eligible for the grant as he had taken on Tal as an employee, not an apprentice.

He added: “I’m very disappointed.

Beth has done a great job and I would love to keep her on, but I’ve just found myself out of pocket.

“With all the media hype around apprenticeships and how the government supports them, we’ve found it completely different.”

Beth, aged 17, said she feels let down and upset that her apprenticeship could be cut short.

“I have already had my hours reduced from 37.5 to 30 hours, and I’m worried that I will lose my apprenticeship as well as my income, which is vital as I’m living in shared accommodation,” she said.

“I absolutely love working here, it’s an experience I couldn’t have gained anywhere else especially at such a young age.”

Philip Broomhead, from Riverside Training, said: “We fully sympathise with Oliver. We have tried everything to support O H Mower’s request for a grant but unfortunately the company did not meet the government’s eligibility criteria for funding.”

In a statement, the SFA said: “The apprenticeship grant for employers provides additional support to employers who wish to grow their business by recruiting new 16 to 24-year-old apprentices, who would not otherwise be in a position to do so.

“Employers who have up to 1,000 employees and who have not started an apprentice within the last 12 months are eligible to apply for the grant. As O H Mower has recruited an apprentice through Riverside Training within the last 12 months it is unfortunately not eligible for the grant this year.”