A couple from Steeton spent the festive season at home after having their dream river cruise cancelled at the last minute.

Hazel and Robert Nicholas were due to travel to Germany on December 23 on a five-day cruise along the Rhine.

The first they heard of the collapse of the Gloucester-based company Travelscope was when they turned on the television news the day before they were due to leave.

"I turned on the television on the Saturday morning and it was on the news. In the afternoon a girl from Travelscope called to say the holiday had been cancelled," said Mr Nicholas.

The couple had booked the Christmas special after a particularly bad year which saw Mrs Nicholas diagnosed with cervical cancer and Mr Nicholas being made redundant from his job. Mrs Nicholas, a cleaner, has only just returned to work after being given the all-clear.

"I had to have a hysterectomy. I've also had to have chemotherapy and radiotherapy and this was like a present to me for being so brave," said Mrs Nicholas. The couple booked their holiday three months ago.

"We've never done anything like this before but we know people who have and they've all said we'd have a really good time. We just thought it would be really nice to be away at Christmas and not to have to worry about all the washing up," said Mrs Nicholas.

But Instead of cruising the Rhine , the couple spent Christmas Day with friends of the family and hope to book another holiday this year. "We'd not bought any Christmas food or anything and had spent all this money on warm clothes," said Mrs Nicholas.

They have been assured that the £694 that they have already paid will be refunded.

"The girl from Travelscope who called us was really nice. I felt sorry for her, she'd lost her job and had gone into the office to ring and tell people. There were people she'd been dealing with for years who'd lost their holidays," said Mr Nicholas.