.Lewis Macdonald branded 'heartless' after his refund request for airshow
- .He posted on Facebook asking how to get money back for four £18 tickets
- .Former charity worker said he 'did not get full day's worth out of tragedy'
- .Hundreds criticised him on social media and he has since apologised
'Heartless': Lewis Macdonald (pictured) has demanded a refund for his Shoreham Airshow ticket, saying the disaster 'ruined his early birthday treat'
A Shoreham Airshow spectator apologised last night after demanding a refund for four tickets, saying Britain's worst air disaster in a generation had 'ruined his early birthday treat'.
Former charity worker Lewis Macdonald posted on Facebook asking how to get the money back for the £18 tickets after saying he 'did not get a full day's worth out of this tragedy'.
But now ‘humiliated’ Mr Macdonald, of Worthing, West Sussex, has said sorry after being pilloried on social media, adding that he had ‘couldn't stop crying’ about Saturday’s tragic crash.
Mr Macdonald, who studied aircraft engineering at college, admitted that he sounded 'callous' but said his father desperately needed the cash back after spending £72 on the day out.
He originally posted on Facebook, saying: 'It's ruined my day... all flying was cancelled. I was there today as an early birthday treat.
'Now it's ruined and my dad spent all that money on four people practically for nothing. I know it sounds callous, but I'd like to know how to get the money he spent back in his account.'
But hundreds of people took to Twitter to condemn his post after at least 11 people lost their lives when the Hawker Hunter jet smashed into a line of cars on the A27 in West Sussex.
And after receiving an onslaught of abuse from people who called him ‘heartless’, Mr Macdonald posted another message, saying: 'How dare they accuse me of being selfish.'
He added: 'I'm so terribly sorry that (I) have moved on from this tragic incident and am now concerned with helping out my dad.'
However Mr Macdonald, who listed Oxfam as a previous employer, later relented and posted a full apology on his Facebook page. He said he was 'devastated' after the tragedy and said he was hurting just as much as anyone else.
Mr Macdonald said: 'I have a history of saying and doing some pretty stupid things, and whilst I had the best of intentions, I didn't think when I posted on a public message board.
Post: Mr Macdonald admitted that he sounded 'callous' but said his father desperately needed the money back
Apology: Mr Macdonald, who studied aircraft engineering at college, later posted a full apology on Facebook
'A small mistake that has offended hundreds, if not more. Talk about "whoops". I've cried as well. Not for the money, for the people. I couldn't stop crying.
'I am just as devastated, made worse by the fact the trip was an early birthday treat. I'm hurting just as much as anyone else. And I said something that was sort of heat of the moment.
‘I had a thought and I acted on it. And now the humiliation that the masses have inflicted is catching up to me and I realise now it was something that should not have been placed on a public message board.
'At first I was defensive. Why was I being targeted? Why was my honest request being shunned? And then it hit me. An old saying: “Some of the worst things have come from the best of intentions”.'
Explosion: Police have warned that the death toll from the Shoreham Airshow disaster is expected to rise
Earlier, Jade Delaney tweeted: 'Thinking the people asking for a refund at Shoreham Airshow are a disgrace to the human race! Be thankful you came away safe. You are lucky.'
It's ruined my day... all flying was cancelled. I was there today as an early birthday treat
Lewis Macdonald
Harriet Merricks said: 'It angers me the amount of people that are asking for a refund as their day was ruined at Shoreham #heartless.'
And Bex said: 'Genuinely seeing posts by people asking for a refund for their Shoreham air show tickets. People died but obviously you need that 20 quid.'
Minty added: 'There is actually someone complaining that they didn't get a "full day" at Shoreham Airshow and wanting a refund.'
Adult tickets for the event cost £18 in advance and £22 on the day and children's tickets cost £5 in advance and £8 on the day.
Crash: Hundreds have taken to Twitter to condemn the 'heartless' post after at least 11 people lost their lives
Blast: The plane crashed in a fiery explosion on the A27 and 14 people were treated for injuries at the scene
A spokesman for the Royal Air Forces Association said that they would be looking at any requests for refunds in 'due course', but said they were focused on the investigation.
I'm hurting just as much as anyone else. And I said something that was sort of heat of the moment
Lewis Macdonald
Aviation expert Julian Bray said the investigation into what caused the plane crash 'will probably take a couple of years at least'.
The Civil Aviation Authority today banned vintage aircraft from doing aerobatics and limited their involvement in air displays to flypasts until 'further notice' after Saturday's jet crash.
A personal trainer and two footballers have been named as victims but police say identifying up to 17 others who may have perished in Saturday's disaster may 'take weeks'.
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