It was an error that could have happened anywhere to anyone

AA spokesman

The fault, which was caused by a loose wire, only cost �12 to repair at a garage in Stirling - but the mechanic had to spend the night in a hotel because of the length of the journey.

An AA spokesman admitted that a control centre operator had misheard the address.

When the mechanic realised the mistake he travelled to Laggan to meet the motorist.

"We were actually sending the correct patrol out to what we thought was the correct location," said the spokesman.

He denied that the mistake had occurred because the control centre was in England.

Driver named

"It was an error that could have happened anywhere to anyone," he said.

"It was definitely a mistake but the whole point of the AA is that we get a patrol or a garage agent out as soon as we possibly can."

The Times named the driver as Eric Campbell from Dollar.

He told the newspaper he had waited while the mechanic caught a ferry from Mull to Oban and then travelled 40 miles to Fort William - before towing them 110 miles to their home in Clackmannanshire.

He reportedly described the incident as "an absolute farce".