William and Lynsey Wilgaus, from Antrim, had booked the holiday in Crete 17 months in advance at a cost of £2,162 - which they borrowed the money for - and were promised first class service for themselves and young daughter Bethany (2).

Three months before departure to the Greek island, however, they were told the 5-star hotel they'd booked was no longer available because the contract with the travel company had expired.

But that was only the start of a catalogue of misery which included:

• Being put into economy seats on the plane - when they'd booked and paid for first class.
• Finding no immediate transport waiting for them when they got to the Mediterranean hot spot.
• Being told that the alternative hotel they'd chosen had been overbooked and wasn't available either!
• Being sent to yet another hotel - in a completely different resort to the one they'd chosen - which had NONE of the honeymoon perks they had been promised.
• Being denied the "all inclusive" food and drinks package they had paid for and instead offered full board accommodation and compensation of €25 a day each - at a hotel where an alcoholic drink plus mixer cost over €10.
• Being put up in a noisy room - above a utility store and beside the stairs - in a hotel which had no entertainment and few facilities for children.
• And to cap it all the family, who were desperate to get home after a miserable two weeks in the remote resort, were taken to the airport two hours too soon, and had to endure a lengthy wait before finally boarding the flight to Belfast.

Mr and Mrs Wilgaus are now demanding compensation from the My Travel agency for providing a holiday that, in the couple's opinion, bore no resemblance whatsover to the My Travel "Prestige" package they had booked.

"We were left devastated," said community worker Lynsey (28) last night.

"Our honeymoon was a total disaster - but I'm more upset than angry because it meant so much to me, especially after a recent health scare. No-one can ever replace that holiday. We had it in our heads for 17 months and it was such a let down."

Mrs Wilgaus, who was recently diagnosed with having a hole in the heart, said a so-called five-star honeymoon was not the sort of trip she and William (32) could normally afford.

"I should have known from the date we flew out (September 11) that it was a bad omen," she said.

"We're not particularly well off, and this will probably end up being the most expensive holiday we've ever had - indeed, we had to take out a loan for it - yet it turned out to be a complete disaster."

A spokesperson for My Travel last night said she would investigate the complaint.