Melton family miss out on dream holiday due to Thomas Cook collapse

It emerged on Friday that the firm was in a desperate fight to stay afloat and holiday-makers who had booked trips with it began preparing for the worst outcome, that they would not after all be travelling to sunnier climes and faced the prospect, in some cases, of losing the money they had paid out.

Kim Hendy, of Drummond Walk, Melton, was due to take her four young children on their first holiday abroad today (Wednesday) but instead she had to break the news to them that they wouldn’t be able to go to Turkey.

She and fiancee Stephen Hall, who was to have also celebrated his birthday on the all-inclusive vacation, saved the £3,500 cost over 13 months.

Kim (35) told the Melton Times: “When the news came out over the weekend that the company might be folding we decided not to pack anything until Monday but then we had to tell the children we wouldn’t be going away.

“We have a daughter with a sensory processing disorder and she was quite upset because she had been so excited about going abroad.

“We told the others and explained that we had lost our holiday but we would be getting the money back and that people who worked at the shop had lost their jobs.

“It is upsetting for all of us, but we know there are people in far worse positions than us as a result of all this.”

The family did try to source alternative flights because their accommodation was still booked and available but there were none left to fit in with their week away.

Kim and Stephen hope to eventually take Kayla (12), Olivia (11), Harrison (7) and four-year-old Evelyn - pictured above - abroad for their dream holiday but it will have to wait until they are reimbursed for the money they put down on the Turkey trip.

They have had to spend time this week cancelling their many arrangements such as the taxi to the airport and kennel accommodiation for their dog and Stephen will have to spend his two-week holiday, arranged with employers Websters Dairy of Saxelbye, at home.

Kim added: “We were so looking forward to this holiday because it was in a five-star resort.

“When we looked for other flights I was surprised at how much extra the other airlines were charging and I don’t think that is right at all after what people have gone through with Thomas Cook.”