A FATHER claims a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Lapland turned into "total chaos" and has spoilt Christmas for his two young children.

Kidderminster eight-year-old, Jake Brooks, and his five-year-old sister, Lucy, waited for around an hour-and-a-half in sub-zero conditions to go on a magical search for Santa, which never materialised.

Instead, they were told that due to operational reasons Father Christmas would come to them - which, according to their father, John Brooks, involved queuing up outside a restaurant, where Santa was surrounded by dirty plates and ketchup bottles.

"Various children were crying and asking what had they done wrong because Santa didn't want to see them," Mr Brooks said of his family's experience in the Lap village of Nellim on Saturday, December 4.

"Santa couldn't speak English. He didn't, therefore, talk to my two children, who received their presents from some girls handing them out before they saw Santa."

After complaining to the tour operator, Transun Travel, the family, of Mallory Drive, has been offered a free trip to Lapland, which they plan to take up next year.

Mr Brooks, 36, described his children's date with Santa this year, however, as "just a photo opportunity".

He said: "They sat on his lap, we took a picture and then left - we were literally there for about 20 seconds."

He added: "Basically, it has spoilt Christmas for the kids - the magical belief and all that is just not there now."

The family flew to Finland from Birmingham at 4am and were transported to Nellim by coach. Mr Brooks claimed "total chaos" ensued, with his family changing into thermal suits in a room "crammed" with about 150 people.

"We left there and were basically left to our own devices to go on various activities," he said.

"We managed to do two things - ride a reindeer sleigh and snowmobile - and then jumped into the queue for the Santa search. We queued for about an hour and 40 minutes in temperatures of minus 8C to minus 10C."

He added the trip, which cost about £1,000, was supposed to be a "big treat" for the family and "a once-in- a-lifetime thing to do".

He said: "To sum it up, as well as missing out on the search for Santa, we got to do no husky dog sleigh riding and never got to eat all day except on the plane... because we would have had to give up our place in the queue to get the buffet, which there just wasn't time to do."

He added: "The cabin crew on the flight home have done day trips for a few years and said they had never heard people as up in arms as we were.

"There are basically 10 coaches there which go to different villages so it was pure chance that we went to the village that was rubbish. There were other people on the flight who had had a good time and didn't have to queue for the activities."

Transun spokeswoman, Charlotte Beckford, said she was pleased Mr Brooks's family had booked to return to Lapland next year.

"Transun is very proud of the programme we offer in Lapland and since this unfortunate episode we have had many letters, e-mails and phone calls of support," she said.

"We very much regret and apologise that things happened that were beyond our control on that day but we're very happy to report that all our operations since then have run smoothly and we've had many happy customers."

She added: "We very much hope that Mr Brooks will become one of those in the future and his faith in Transun will be restored by a positive experience next year."

Mr Brooks said the company seemed to be doing its best to sort out the problems he had experienced.