IT WAS to be a dream holiday to the Costa Del Sol for Kenneth and Anne Walsh.

Kenneth and Anne Walsh

The map in the brochure showed the resort to be on the beach in an area recommended by friends, and just a short coach ride from the airport. But the map was wrong, and Kenneth and Anne, of Maypole Gardens, Cawood, near York, found themselves in a hotel amid the freight terminals of a run-down port city, at the end of a nightmare five-hour bus journey.

Eight days of negotiations with the tour company finally got the Walshes where they wanted to be, but by then their two-week holiday had been ruined. The company responsible, Airtours Holidays Ltd, was taken to court yesterday by Trading Standards officers.

Airtours pleaded guilty before York magistrates to providing inaccurate information in the brochure, and was fined £3,500.

Speaking after the case, Mr Walsh said the brochure had led them to believe they would be at a coastal resort near Malaga.

"We thought we would be in a nice hotel by the beach on the Costa Del Sol, but we ended up in a nice hotel in an unpleasant port town with no beach at all."

"And whereas the brochure spoke of a two-hour journey to the airport, we found ourselves stuck on a coach for nearly five hours with no stops or refreshment. It was terrible."

Mr and Mrs Walsh were moved, but they were hit with extra hotel charges, and a transfer fee.

"The whole first week of the holiday was completely ruined," said Mr Walsh.

Airtours' solicitor, Tamsin Winspear, apologised to the court, and to Mr and Mrs Walsh, for the upset and inconvenience caused.

"It was a terrible mistake, but we have checked our records and don't know why this happened."

She added that the map had since been amended, and that the Walshes had received £400 compensation.

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