Ryanair - outward flight cancelled; what about return?

Fungas

Hi folks
We'd booked a short trip to Barcelona for son's street dance tournament - cancelled due to Covid-19. Ryanair refuse refunds as per their helpful policy (never again...).
When booking, I'd separated the bookings as the return flights were too early in the day, and chose a different destination as both airports are convinientlyclose for the short train journey we'd be taking. So, we've got outward flights Manchester - Barcelona, return flights Barcelona - Liverpool. Ryanair have cancelled the outward, and offered a refund. When I've tried to start a refund of the return portion, they've stated that the flight is still scheduled. However, EU 261/2004 gives me the right to a return cancellation if the outward is cancelled - Ryanair say it's not a return trip as the return is to a different destination. Do I have a point/ do they, and has anybody else had experience of this?
thanks.

bradders1983

If you did it as two seperate bookings then they are absolutely right and I suspect many other airlines would have exactly the same policy. Seperate bookings, separate trips.

jonesMUFCforever

Same kind of thing with my Easy Jet flights due out next week and back the week after. Got E-mail to say out flight cancelled about a week ago - got another E-mail yesterday to say return cancelled.
When filling in refund form the booking ref is the same for both. I will have to wait and see if they will be refunded together or separately.