A family's summer plans lay in tatters after tour operators admitted their apartment was double booked - despite reserving it nine months in advance.

The Bonds, from Port Lane in Colchester, booked a two-week Thomson holiday on the sun-baked isle of Lanzarote nine months ago and were due to fly out in just three weeks' time.

They forked out £2,140 for a fortnight in Costa Teguise, staying at a three star apartment, but travel agents Lunn Poly has told them the accommodation is over subscribed.

They were offered alternative four star accommodation on the outskirts of the resort, but the party of five would have had to stay in two separate apartments.

So the Bonds turned down the offer and now have just a couple of weeks to sort out a sunshine break.

Mum Carol Bond said: "I'm absolutely gutted.

"I sat and cried my eyes out at the travel agents.

"We did not have a holiday last year because we did up the bathroom instead, so we were really looking forward to this one."

Mrs Bond was due to fly out to Lanzarote with her husband, two teenage children and a 14-year-old friend Andrew Norman.

However they did not want to stay in two separate rooms, with two beds and a sofa bed in each.

"They offered us a new complex which was finished November last year, but it lists 'planned facilities' in the brochure and we are taking three teenagers," Mrs Bond added.

Natasha Tobin, a spokeswoman for Lunn Poly, said the family were offered an upgrade and £150 compensation, but opted to cancel and received a full refund plus £15 compensation per person.

She said the compensation offered to customers in the event of a major change was specified in Thomson's fair trading charter, and Mr and Mrs Bond signed a declaration when they booked saying they had read it.

"It's not very common but it does happen," she added.

"At least with Thomson they do get a fair trading charter so they know what they are booking and what the compensation limits are.

"Lunn Poly are still happy to keep on looking for another holiday."

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.