KIDS have been in tears as a Christmas Lapland journey turned a vacation from hell — with no snow, a tied-up “offended reindeer” and a Santa who stated: “I don’t even reside right here.”

Households who forked out round £4,000 for a three-day “journey of a lifetime” to Kuusamo, in Finland, arrived to seek out what they describe as “harmful” and “disastrous” actions, with some being left with out meals for over eight hours.

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Unseasonably heat climate and heavy rainfall has seen the snow washed away at resorts in Lapland, main journey firm TUI to cancel journeys there on Wednesday.

However earlier than the announcement, a whole lot of hopeful households had already launched into the 1,500-mile journey.

One dad-of-three stated his six-year-old woman was dismayed after they travelled from East London to Santa’s residence area final Sunday.

Ricky Edwards, 39, who was together with his companion and three youngsters, stated: “My little woman met Santa and he or she was actually upset.

“She turned to me and stated, ‘I don’t consider that’s the actual Santa.’

“Once we met him, he stated, ‘I don’t even reside right here. That is my vacation residence.’

“Mrs Claus had a cell phone seen in her pocket.

“We perceive there is no such thing as a snow, that may’t be helped, however there wasn’t even sufficient to eat!”

The TUI journey’s itinerary ended with a “conventional Christmas dinner”.

However a coach-load of households have been turned away from the banquet corridor as a result of there was not sufficient meals — and others bemoaned the standard of what was served up.

Contacts supervisor Ricky added: “We obtained turned away and have been left in minus eight levels to get a coach again to the lodge. No less than ten of the children have been in tears.

“Then I noticed an image of what they served up on the festive feast and I believe we have been greatest to not get in. It was a joke.”

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Natasha and Scott Walden, 36, from Northampton, stated they have been left fearing for his or her security after they and their two kids have been taken on a sleigh journey on a lake that was “melting”.

Natasha stated: “We needed to keep proper on the sting of the lake. I used to be genuinely terrified. I might see cracks all around the lake.”

She added: “There was a reindeer tied by a rope to a tree and we have been informed he was an offended reindeer and we couldn’t contact him.”

TUI stated final evening: “Our groups carefully monitor the climate forecast, and regardless of snow being predicted over these journey dates, sadly this didn’t occur.”

The corporate added: “Our groups might be in direct contact with all clients who travelled on this departure to debate their considerations and supply a decision.”

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