Ever seen a random charge on your bank statement and felt that familiar sinking feeling? You've forgotten to cancel a subscription you never really wanted. From TV streaming to meal deliveries and beauty boxes, there's a subscription for everything these days.

The first order is often free or heavily discounted, so you think you'll cancel before the deadline. But life gets busy, and cancellation is often anything but straightforward.

Following Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham's crackdown on subscription traps, three people share their tales of woe and how they escaped the clutches of recurring payments.

Sophie Branscombe, 23, from Wirral, signed up for a free trial of a photo editor app, only to see £89.99 vanish from her bank account. "It was a free trial, and they did make it clear I was signing up to a subscription, but there was no reminder of when [the free period] would end," she says. The company refused a refund, but Apple's "report a problem" feature came to the rescue. Her advice? Set reminders when you sign up, and if you don't like something, cancel immediately.

Hussein Zaaiter, 21, from West London, tried a free software trial for university work. Cancellation was a nightmare: online chat, email, even phone calls, all while they kept charging him. £16 left his account, then £32, before he froze his card. "They tried to charge me seven times," he says. He contacted his bank for a refund. "It was difficult to contact them, and the cancellation was near impossible." His tip: read the terms and conditions before starting anything.

Rosalinda Kwafo-Akoto, 22, from the West Midlands, signed up for a one-week free TV trial, after which it would cost £9.99 a month. She tried to cancel before the week ended but couldn't find the subscription on her account. Assuming it would auto-cancel, she was surprised when money was taken. It took an hour and a half on customer service to sort it out. Her advice: don't assume anything, and get a confirmation email of your cancellation. "These companies make it as difficult as possible for you to cancel," she says.

All three firms have been contacted by the BBC for comment. Because of course they have.