ANGRY IKEA fans travelled up to 100 miles to a new store but were sent flat-packing - after an opening date blunder.

Scores of red-faced visitors eager to get their hands on some flat-pack furniture were turned away after wrongly trusting Google's incorrect listed opening date.

Shoppers came from as far as Falmouth in Cornwall, but had to be turned away by staff preparing for the actual opening event at the store in Exeter, Devon.

The grand branch opening event was delayed by 10 days: from May Day to Thursday, May 10.

This was announced at the end of March.

The Swedish furniture giant blamed the hold-up on work abandoned because of the blanket snow brought to the city by the 'Beast from the East.'

But it looks like Google never caught up with the announcement.

Nick Earle, IKEA Exeter store manager, said: “We understand that a small number of customers travelled to IKEA Exeter this weekend and we are really sorry for any inconvenience caused to these customers who we estimate was less than 50. 

"The store may have seemed a lot busier due to an internal friends and family event taking place on Sunday, May 6, where there was also a planned routine fire drill.

"The store was originally due to open on May 1. During the Beast from the East and extreme weather conditions in March, we halted construction to ensure the safety of the team.

"Since March, the revised opening date of Thursday, May 10, has been widely communicated.

"We look forward to welcoming everyone when we open our doors on Thursday.” 

However, alongside news articles on the opening that publish the correct new opening date - is a link to an outdated IKEA.com article which still lists the May 1 opening date.

The Google user-submitted 'Frequently Asked Questions' about the branch also lists the May 1 date.

And several Ikea fans who have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of the first store south west of Bristol fell foul of the error.

Among them was Clair Louise Jones, who tweeted: "I am really disappointed such a massive firm cannot change its web page to reflect when your new Exeter store opens.

"Thousands have travelled too, but turned away without so much as a sorry."

Another disappointed shopper Eleanor Hawkes says she drove 100 miles from Falmouth expecting it to be open.

She wrote: "Drove all the way to Exeter IKEA from Falmouth only to find out that it was closed.

"What a waste of time."

The buzz across the South West for the landmark 21st UK store has been audible.

IKEA has been running events across Cornwall, Dorset, Devon and Somerset in the run-up to its opening this week.

Even train station waiting rooms in Exeter have received makeovers using furniture straight from the branch, along with rest areas for shoppers in Princesshay shopping centre.