Wedding bliss!

From Left to right, Joyce Dean(Brides mum), Terry Dean(Brides dad), Louise Dean(Bride), Tim Boycott(Groom), John Boycott(Bestman/Brother) and Rian Carter dean at the front (page boy)

A CHADDERTON couple tangled up in the collapse of travel firm XL, have had their wedding day saved by an Oldham travel agent.

Louise Dean and Tim Boycott are to marry in Rhodes after all, thanks to the efforts of staff at the Co-operative Travel branch in High Street, Oldham.

The couple reserved flights for their party more than a year ago. But their dreams seemed ruined when XL Leisure Group folded.

Louise (38), an account manager, said: “I was devastated. I was away from home on business when my dad phoned to say the airline had closed.

“I didn’t know what to do and my mum was hysterical with worry.”

Louise and bridegroom Tim (47), had booked through Co-operative Travel in High Street, Oldham. Staff worked round the clock to find alternative flights to ensure the wedding would be able to go ahead.

“Our hotels were safe,” explained Louise. “They had been booked and paid for separately — the flights were the problem.

“I thought our wedding abroad was over. And, as a precaution, I contacted Oldham Register Office, in Chadderton, to see if they could accommodate us.”

The wedding party had planned to fly from Manchester but now they are travelling from airports scattered across the country.

AMSTERDAM

“That doesn’t matter at all,” said Louise. “At least my wedding will still go ahead with all the people I love in attendance. I will never forget the help and kindness shown by the team from Co-operative Travel. We could have lost everything if it had not been for them.”

Louise’s father, Terry, accompanied by the best man John Boycott, the bridegroom’s brother, face a 21-hour journey, flying from Manchester to Amsterdam, with two additional flight changes to get to Rhodes.

l Springhead pensioners Brian and June Balmforth have also been saved from holiday disaster. They had paid £900 for a two week self-catering holiday in Greece with XL.

Said retired project manager Brian: “We were convinced we’d lost the lot.”

June, a mother of four, added: “The travel company staff have been absolutely fantastic.

“We’ve used them for 20 years and after a lot of phone calls they found us matching holidays and transferred us without losing a penny.”

Co-operative Travel’s Oldham manager, Keeley Johnson, said: “My staff went into overdrive at the weekend to sort things out for customers. It has been incredibly hectic.”