Finally got a response from the courier company thanking me for my feedback and saying they have passed it on to the relevant department who will contact me to resolve it. No time frame, nothing, zilch, about when I will get my delivery.
Looking unlikely, very unlikely, it will arrive in time for my Mum's birthday. But have backup, Amazon have the devices in stock and will deliver by tomorrow morning and if the package isn't on the van for delivery today - will know is six mins - then I will order another iPod (luckily I have the funds to swing this) so I can give her it on her birthday.
As for the original iPod
, well she is giving me an new iPod for Xmas so I will sell her the original one when it finally turns up. Sound weird even for me, to sell my Mum her own birthday pressie ... could only happen to me.