And finally… Don’t book it

A Hucknall man named Thomas Cook has his dream wedding shattered by the collapse of Thomas Cook travel agents.

And finally... Don't book it

He said: “Thomas Cook promised us a surprise on our wedding because of my name - but this was not the surprise we were expecting.”

Thomas, 29, was due to be married in Rhodes to his partner Amelia Binch, 27. He and his partner are now stuck in Rhodes in Greece after booking their dream getaway and wedding package with Thomas Cook.



The two embarked on their journey on September 18th and are due to marry at the Lindos Princess hotel on September 27th. Their guests are due to fly out with Thomas Cook over the next few days, including the best man.

However, the couple have been informed that the wedding might not go ahead, as the Thomas Cook package included the wedding ceremony, flowers, cake, decorations and entertainment.

The pair had flown out with their two young daughters from East Midlands Airport with their parents and close family.

They were due to fly home on October 3rd, but they have been told to be on standby as they could be called to the airport any day.

The couple has spent nearly £10,000 on the trip.

Mr Cook, who works for Rolls-Royce, said: “Thomas Cook promised us a surprise on our wedding because of my name but this was not the surprise we were expecting. I am just devastated. We have got 30 plus friends and family coming out, half are stuck at home in limbo. My best man is still in England. No one here knows anything.

“I have been planning this for two years and it has all gone to pot. We have paid for everything. It is shattering. We don’t know what we can do. Thomas Cook staff have been good but they lost their jobs.”

Miss Binch, a beauty therapist, said: “It is costing us nearly £10,000 and we are sat here stressed out. We don’t know if we are getting married. I had a collapsed lung before I came and I got the all-clear. It just seems like one thing after the other. We are ATOL protected but it is an absolute nightmare.

“We are just really anxious. We are being told we might be flying back to Manchester or London and we could be told we are to fly out today. They have said it could be any time.”

The two chose the location because they wanted to get married abroad and it was cheaper to marry in Rhodes than having a wedding in the UK.

Miss Binch added: “It’s awful. You don’t expect it to happen with a company like this. That’s why we booked with them. It is now going to cost us more.”

Thomas Cook has posted a statement on their website. It reads: “Thomas Cook UK Plc and associated UK entities have entered Compulsory Liquidation and are now under the control of the Official Receiver. The UK business has ceased trading with immediate effect and all future flights and holidays are cancelled. A dedicated support service is being provided by The Civil Aviation Authority to assist customers currently overseas and those in the UK with future bookings.”

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