A COUPLE say their holiday to Egypt is in tatters after a tour operator refused to switch destinations following the recent terrorist bombings.

Katie Parkhurst, 21, and Dan Mole, 26, of Clarence Place, Christchurch, booked the £1,400 trip from Saturday, October 16 to Saturday, October 23 as a treat after Katie spent a brief spell in hospital.

But the couple were horrified when they read about the three suicide car bombings in Egypt killing 23 people which are being linked to al-Qaeda.

One of the explosions was at the Hilton Hotel in Taba, just 20 minutes from the Hotel Sofitel at Taba Heights where they are due to stay.

The couple were left fuming when tour operators Libra refused to refund the cost of the trip or allow them to transfer to another destination.

Katie said: "It took us a year to save up for the holiday. I have just come out of hospital and thought Dan and I deserved a break.

"I feel disgusted at the fact they could send people there.

"We could be sunbathing by the pool and a bomb could go off. I think their attitude is disgusting.

"We are going to Taba the actual resort where it happened.

"How can they think it's a safe place to go away to? It's like sending us to New York straight after September 11. The holiday cost £1,400 but our lives are worth more than that."

Joanna Kolatsis, spokesman for Libra, said the company did not plan to offer refunds or free transfers because it believed there was "no risk".

She added: "We are following Foreign Office advice and at the moment they are not advising against travel to that region.

"Until they advise otherwise we don't feel there is a specific threat to holidaymakers.

"This was a specific attack on Israelis and we don't think this is in any way aimed at Brits.

"We really feel they don't have anything to worry about."

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is not advising travellers to avoid the Taba region of Egypt despite the recent explosions.

First published: Oct 11