A romantic silver wedding cruise turned into a nightmare holiday for Bradford couple Sheila and Mick Hargrave.

They had saved up for the luxury transatlantic cruise from Athens to Florida as a special present to each other.

But the 18-night voyage across the Atlantic turned into two days of hell aboard a ship of horrors.

The couple flew out to Athens from their home in Moor Close Lane, Queensbury to pick up the 31,500 ton liner Topaz last Friday.

But they were back home within three days after travel firm Thomson was forced to cancel the trip.

Mrs Hargrave said problems started before they had even left the dockside.

"About 80 passengers refused to sail on the ship when they saw what state it was in and there was a fight at one point," she said.

"They were taken back to the UK and everyone on board was offered £250 compensation."

It was only after they left for Malta that Mrs Hargrave, 43, and her 48-year-old husband realised the condition of the 502 cabin ship.

"It was filthy - it was horrendous," she said.

Among complaints about the ship, the couple found:

Sewage overflowing from toilets and up through shower drains.

One restaurant for more than 700 people instead of three - resulting in rushed, lukewarm meals.

Disorganised lifeboat drill.

A broken ship's tannoy system.

They had paid an extra £400 for an upgraded cabin but it was so tiny they could not even unpack.

"Altogether we paid £2,400 for what was advertised as a maiden voyage after a multi-million refit," said Mrs Hargrave. "And it wasn't a maiden voyage because we were told schoolchildren had had a two-week cruise just before and the refit wasn't finished.

"We have both been to the doctor since we got back with upset stomachs and the stress of it all.

"We are so disappointed. It was our first cruise."

The couple have now consulted a solicitor and will be taking legal action against the travel company.

A Thomson spokesman said the firm took over the charter of the ship on the day the 756 passengers went out.

"Service difficulties" on board had resulted from extreme weather in Athens, industrial action by local workers and a succession of power failures, she said. "These factors prevented the owners of the Topaz completing some of the service-related aspects of the ship on time.

"When Thomson customers joined the cruise we were assured these issues could be resolved before we set sail.

"Obviously we would never have flown all those people out there if we had thought the problems would not be sorted out straight away.

"We offer our unreserved apologies to everyone and we will be giving them a full refund and compensation."

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