A schoolboy who had been through a “year of hell” with a bone condition was forced to miss out on a VIP prize day in London after a Ryanair flight was postponed for over eight hours.

Martin Walsh from Lisburn and his son Jack (9) travelled with Gordon Rea and his daughter Jessica (9) to Belfast City Airport just over a week ago after the children had won a movie review competition. They were due to fly to Stansted for a day of red carpet treatment, a tour of the film museum and sightseeing.

Mr Walsh said the children, both pupils at Fort Hill Primary School, were left feeling “utterly disappointed” when they were forced to abandon the trip.

They arrived at 5.20am for the 6.30am flight and were waiting to go through to departures when it was announced there would be a delay for eight and a half hours.

The children had to be in London by 11am for the start of the ‘red carpet’ day.

“We should have been in the Movieum in London for red carpet treatment, a tour of the museum, watch a film and an interview with the film critic with the Guardian,” Mr Walsh said.

“But had we waited for the next flight we would have missed the day.

“A woman with clipboard came up and explained the reason for the delay was there was no crew.

“I asked to speak to someone from Ryanair, but there wasn’t anyone other than that lady, who wasn’t from the company.”

Mr Walsh said they then tried to get flights with another carrier but they were too expensive.

He said winning the competition had been been a “real lift” for his son.

“Jack was diagnosed with a condition which causes a stoppage of blood flow into the top of the femur and his hips, so his femur basically starts to crumble,” Mr Walsh said.

“Before that he was playing for Lisburn Youth Football team, and at the time he got diagnosed he had been asked to go to North Wales with Linfield.

“When he got told by the consultant it broke his heart and he has been through 12 months of hell. He is slowly recovering but he had to be in a wheelchair for months and then used crutches.

Mr Walsh added: “When we found out he had won this all expenses paid trip with the Film Club it was just fantastic.

“We were just delighted and it was a lift for Jack.

“In the build-up Jack had been looking at Google Earth to see Big Ben, the London Eye and Houses of Parliament, the places that we were going to visit.

“But the disappointment on his face that Saturday morning was just terrible.

“I don’t feel we were provided with proper service that morning.”

In a statement Ryanair confirmed that the flight from Belfast City to Stansted on 28 March was subject to a delay which “was beyond Ryanair’s control”.

“Passengers were provided with refreshment vouchers as per EU261 passenger legislation but are not entitled to compensation. Ryanair once again apologises to all passengers affected by this unexpected and unavoidable delay,” it said.