ORGANISERS of a Santa trip -- which a heartbroken girl missed due to a passpost mix-up --have launched an appeal to help send her to Lapland.

Heartbroken Jennifer West had to stand and watch as the aircraft doors closed and her pals flew off to Lapland without her.

Jennifer, aged 11, of Shelbourne Avenue, Bolton, did not know that she needed her own passport for the trip and had taken along her mother's, on which she is named.

The mistake was only spotted at the last minute as the plane was boarding.

"It was awful. She had to actually stand there as the doors were closing," said group organiser Alison Power.

She said that although the 72 other people in the group enjoyed the day out having to leave a tearful Jennifer behind spoilt the day they had spent all year raising funds for.

And they are determined that Jennifer will get to go on a similar trip before Christmas.

Travel agents and businesses are being contacted in the hope that the cash can be raised to send her, along with her mum to Lapland before the end of the month.

Transun, the Oxford based tour operators who organised the original flight, have already offered to fund one of the seats on the plane.

"Unfortunately if won't be the same for Jennifer as she won't be with a large group but at least she will not miss out," said Alison.

Anyone who can help can contact Alison on Bolton 841278.