ONLY weeks after surviving five hours fighting for life in a sea fishing tragedy, Harry Houghton was unfit to travel abroad on a pre-booked holiday.

But despite submitting a doctor's report stating he was suffering from post traumatic stress disorder his insurers have refused to pay out.

Harry and wife Audrey, of Tunnicliffe's New Row, Leigh, booked an Airtours September break in Lanzarote at the start of 2003, but after Harvey was involved in the Scottish loch disaster last July, which claimed the lives of a family friend and his two sons, they were forced to cancel.

Audrey claims she went into the Leigh office of Going Places three times to give up the trip but was urged to hang on for a while, advice she followed.

After eventually cancelling three days before take-off, Airtours' White Horse insurance company refused a claim.

Now Audrey is advising other holiday makers not to use the insurance company.

She said: "It was a miracle that both Harvey and Brian Ridley survived the accident in which Brian lost his son Shaun and his grandsons Steven and Michael.

"They survived after clinging to the upturned boat's hull in Loch Ryan, near Stranraer, until they were spotted by a passing yacht. Harvey is still badly affected by the accident. He was not fit to travel and we had to cancel the £1,125 holiday, but would have been happy if they would have agreed to put it on hold for us.

"I received £110 back from Going Places but have written numerous letters to White Horse and to Airtours for some compensation but with no joy.

"White Horse are Airtours' own insurers and I think people should be aware when booking a holiday. I told them all about the horror and feel really let down. Would anyone really be able to go on a holiday after being involved in such a tragedy?"

An Airtours spokeman said: "The reason the insurance claim was refused was on the basis that the grounds given involved a mental disorder and anything to do with mental health is excluded from most company travel insurance policies."