A BOLTON man is warning holiday bargain hunters to beware of free offers after he says he endured a nightmare.

Terry Pike was offered a free holiday after he went to a presentation near Lancaster about time share accommodation.

Mr Pike and his partner Judith, of Orchard Avenue, Astley Bridge, booked a week at the Royal Park Albatross Hotel in Tenerife with best friends Douglas and Joan Walkden.

He thought that three of the party would go free, leaving only one person to pay for the holiday.

But Mr Pike claims that after he had paid £130 in administration costs he discovered the two couples would still have to pay a total balance of £596.

The offer with Chainrate Limited, trading as Travel Quest, based in Exmouth, Devon, meant that one person from each couple would have to pay for the holiday.

Representatives from the travel agents eventually agreed to cut the total balance to £478.

But angry Mr Pike claims that when they finally flew out in January the party of four were put in a one-bed apartment.

He alleges that, at first, there was only bedding and cutlery for three people and they had to go without hot water for a time because a boiler had broken.

Mr Pike said: "We had to take the holiday on because we would have lost the deposit otherwise.

"When we got home we were sent a questionnaire about how we rated the holiday. I was too angry to fill it in and I just wrote to complain.

"I just want to warn other people to be wary of these kind of deals and make sure you read everything very carefully."

Despite a number of complaints, Travel Quest refused to accept liability but sent Mr Pike a free voucher for a long-haul journey as a good-will gesture.

A spokeswoman for Travel Quest said Mr Pike had chosen one of two options. The first, which he turned down, would have provided him and his partner with a free holiday which would have been arranged by Travel Quest.

Mr Pike chose a second option which gave him a choice of three departure dates, three different destinations and two airports.

She added: "The option two holiday was offered to Mr Pike on the basis that for every person that paid there would be a free place.

"We did offer him the option two holiday well within the terms and conditions that govern that option. He accepted the holiday on that basis and sent us his confirmation and remuneration."

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