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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Remy Greasley & Charlie Duffield

Family's holiday from hell at 'vile' Pontins is so bad gran fled after one night

A mum of two has called a five-day family trip a " holiday from hell" after staying at a "vile" resort.

42-year-old Maria Devoy took her kids, 12 and 10, as well as her 62-year-old mum Pamela for a trip to Pontins Prestatyn in Wales late last month.

The family, who are based in Birkenhead , booked a place at the popular resort for five days.

But when they arrived, Maria was outraged by the "vile" state of the holiday park, and the rooms they were offered, reports the Liverpool Echo.

She recalled that as soon as the family arrived they realised the sorry state of the resort.

There was a hole beneath the sink (Maria Devoy/ Liverpool Echo)

She described how her room was full of mould, with "smashed off" fire alarms, a fridge "yellow with stains," and nowhere to get food as the two restaurants that had been advertised were "non-existent."

Maria, whose mum Pamela had funded the five-day, £430 trip, told the Liverpool Echo: "We really enjoy swimming, so that was the main reason we were going. But when we got there the pool was shut, then once we saw that everything else just began to pile on top of it, but that's even without mentioning the room.

"It was vile. I didn't expect much from Pontins - it's just one of those isn't it, it's just where everyone goes - but it was minging.

"The windows wouldn't open, the fire alarms were smashed off the ceiling, the curtains had mould right the way up them, inside and out, and we couldn't even see out the windows.

Chalets at Prestatyn Holiday resort (Getty Images)

"There was a massive hole underneath the sink that was full of rubbish. The fridge was bright yellow with stains."

Maria also said that nan Pamela was forced to leave after one night, because she couldn't access their second floor room because of an injury, and she is still waiting for surgery.

She said: "We got put on the second floor, but my mum had an accident on Christmas eve and she's still waiting for an operation on her hip.

"When we tried to get into our accommodation, I [told the staff] mum can't get up the stairs and they said you're going to have to deal with it because there's no other option.

"I told them that she really can't get up the stairs, she can barely walk and I'm on my own with the kids, I can't carry her up the stairs like that.

This was one of the sights at the resort (Maria Devoy/ Liverpool Echo)

"I told them I might be able to get her up the stairs tonight, but how's she going to get back down. How's she going to get in and out multiple times a day?

"I was just thinking about my mum the whole time that first night, thinking about how are we going to manage. But with the staff it was just one of those where you can tell you're going to get nowhere so you just bite your tongue.

"There was just no compromise whatsoever so my mum had to come home after that first night. The remaining nights were horrendous. The two restaurants they advertised were non-existent.

"The shop on site doesn't sell food it sells souvenirs. People were ordering takeaways to the main gate it was that bad, and the vending machines were all empty, not that any were switched on anyway."

Maria said her children were disappointed by the experience, as in the arcade every game was turned off.

The mum of two called the whole experience a "holiday from hell."

She ended the holiday a day early, on the fourth day of five, because of the ordeal.

She added that when contacted by Pontins following their stay, she was offered a thirty per cent discount as an apology, to be redeemed during their next stay at the resort.

However, Maria said she would not be taking them up on that offer.

Pontins have been approached for comment.

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