A family's plans to cheer on their son as he competed for a world music title in America were thrown into disarray when a travel agent lost their flight bookings.

Robert Sudall's mother, Gail, was distraught when a Going Places representative told her they had no record of her booking five places with airline KLM to fly to San Francisco at the end of June.

A spokesman for the company admitted the fault was all theirs and apologised for the upset caused by an administrative error which meant their records had been wiped out.

Mrs Sudall, who has been offered a full refund, said all options offered by Going Places were unsuitable for a family with three young children - involving tortuous routes and impractical time scales.

She began frantically phoning round other holiday companies and airlines trying to get an alternative flight. And after a week's worry, she has managed to obtain flights with Delta airline, albeit at a greatly increased price. Instead of the £2,500 they had bargained on, they have had to pay £4,000.

Mrs Sudall, of Woodlands Road, Eldwick, Bingley, said: "The distress this has caused is beyond belief - not just to myself, but particularly to Robert, who is under enough stress contemplating the competition, let alone whether he can get there.

"He is hoping to play for a world title, yet through someone's incompetence it was in jeopardy. I cannot believe a reputable company would leave us in the lurch and so uncertain at such a late stage. Surely, this cannot be allowed to happen.

"There was a real possibility that not all of the family would have been able to go because of the confusion. It could have been that either myself or my husband John would have had to stay behind and that would have been a real shame.

"These opportunities don't come up that often and Robert has worked so hard, he deserves that chance.

"I am sure we are going to have a wonderful time, though when we return we shall have to sort out our claim for compensation with our solicitor for the extra expense incurred."

They are now looking forward to watching Robert compete for the overall crown of the American Theatre Organ Society's International Theatre Organist of the Year in a fortnight's time. He won the junior section and meets the intermediate winner from America and the senior winner from Australia on July 3.

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