Holiday compensation claims

One example of a successful claim for holiday compensation came when a British holidaymaker won £750 compensation from a court because his hotel was too full of Germans.

David Barnish, 47, paid £4,000 to take his wife and three daughters to a Thomson's resort in Kos, Greece, but found they could not take part in the entertainment, children's club or activities because everything was organised in German, which none of them speak.

He sued Thomson's for breach of contract for not telling him the Grecotel Park catered almost exclusively for Germans, and a judge awarded him £750 compensation in June 2008.

He said: "Everything from the leaflets telling you what's on in the morning to the people staying there, the language the reps spoke in and service was all in German."

He added: "I complained when we got home and they sent me a voucher and I just thought 'you're missing the point I'm going to have to take you to court'."

After winning his case at Stoke County Court, he said: "I just want Thomson to change their advertising and start telling the truth about occupancy in these destinations now."