A BLACKBURN man's holiday dreams were dashed at the terminal gates when airport staff told him he could not travel to Bulgaria.

Despite booking the £1,200 holiday to Elinites 12 months ago, it was only after successfully checking-in and going through passport control at Manchester Airport that airline staff told Chris Geraghty that visa rules had changed and he could not fly.

Mr Geraghty, 59, of Higher Croft, and his disabled wife Betty, 67, were left devastated when they were then escorted from the gates by three members of staff and told that they would now lose the money they had paid for their annual holiday in the sun.

Irish-born Mr Geraghty has lived in East Lancashire since 1965 but has a British Subject passport instead of a British Citizen passport.

He used the same passport to travel to Bulgaria with his wife two years ago, but from September 1, Britons only with a British Citizen passport could enter Bulgaria.

Those with a British Subject passport must obtain a visa.

Mr Geraghty blasted the holiday company for not telling him about the new rules.

He said he was offered a flight out to Bulgaria the following week but would lose a week of his holiday and would still have to return on his original flight home.

He said: "I told the company at the time of booking last June that I was a British Subject and not a Citizen and there was no problem.

"If things had changed then the company should have informed its passengers so they could get the relevant documentation.

"The stress caused Betty to have an angina attack. I gave her her medication but she has been quite ill since.

"We had been looking forward to this for 12 months and all our holiday money, travel insurance and parking costs have now been totally wasted."

Advice from the British Embassy states that as of September 1, 2006, entry requirements to Bulgaria have changed: "British subjects, eg of Irish descent and born before January 1 1949, must now obtain a visa from the Bulgarian Embassy in London prior to any visit to Bulgaria - otherwise they will be refused entry and returned to the UK."

A spokesperson for Direct Holidays said: "Our duty office offered these passengers assistance in arranging the correct documents and a flight at a later date, however, this was declined.

"It is the responsibility of clients to have the valid travel documents required for their holiday. This is a condition that is stated in our brochures.

"Due to the recent change our sales staff have been briefed in order to provide an additional reminder to clients making new bookings to the country."