THOUSANDS of holidaymakers were last night trying to come to terms with the cancellation of weddings, honeymoons and holidays following the collapse of Thomas Cook.
One Co Armagh bride-to-be has been left in limbo, with her forthcoming wedding in Cyprus now in doubt.
Leanne Rafferty and Patrick Devlin, both aged 39, had been due to tie the knot in Ayia Napa on October 7.
The couple booked a £4,700 wedding package with Thomas Cook in January and just this month had made the final instalment.
But Ms Rafferty, who is from Portadown, last night said their dream wedding had turned into "a complete nightmare".
"We are devastated, everyone is," she said.
"We were due to fly out next Wednesday and then get married the following Monday.
"We have scrimped and saved for the wedding and everything has been organised. We still haven't even heard from Thomas Cook, so we don't know what's happening.
"I suppose we are still in shock, you put so much into organising everything - the wedding, photographer, flowers, make-up, it's a complete nightmare now that we don't know what's happening.
"We are still hoping to keep the date of October 7, we want to get married on that date.
"But we don't know what our options are and we where we would find the money from, everything has went into going to Cyprus."
Another holidaymaker whose travel plans have been disrupted is Vicki Speers, who lives in Lisburn. She is currently in Salou with her partner and three-year-old daughter.
But just yesterday they were told by hotel staff that they are now liable for payments at the accommodation following the Thomas Cook collapse.
Speaking from Salou, she said they "now have a nervous wait to find out about our accommodation and flight home".
"We arrived in Cap Salou on Friday with Thomas Cook, we had booked our holiday in January," she said.
"We received a letter from our hotel advising we now have to pay for our accommodation for our remaining stay. I contacted the Aviation Agency who have advised me not to give any money to the hotel.
"We have saved all year for our first proper family holiday and now we have the stress and worry of our accommodation and flight home.
"We are awaiting to hear further information, if we can remain at our hotel or be moved to a new hotel."
Thomas Cook operated 20 stores in Northern Ireland, which have all been shut as a result of the company's collapse.
:: Magherafelt
:: Ballymena
:: Cookstown
:: Glengormley
:: Newtownabbey
:: Coleraine
:: Park Centre, Belfast
:: Victoria Square, Belfast
:: Castle Court, Belfast
:: Forestside, Belfast
:: Finaghy, Belfast
:: Portadown
:: Bangor
:: Carrickfergus
:: Derry
:: Larne
:: Lisburn
:: Newry
:: Newtownards
:: Omagh
