A couple caught up in the Thomas Cook collapse have criticised another travel firm after the cost of re-booking a similar break almost doubled in less than 24 hours.

David Carter and Lolita Eagle, of Wellesley Road, Great Yarmouth should have been jetting off to Cuba today (Tuesday, September 24) but had their holiday cancelled when the company went into administration.

To address their disappointment they visited the Tui shop in Regent Street to find an alternative holiday at a similar price.

After a consultation lasting several hours they decided on an all-inclusive two-week break in Mexico leaving on October 5 and costing £2,284.

However they were stunned when they returned the next morning to pay and present their passports as agreed, and found the bill had gone up by a staggering £2,000.

Mr Carter, a landlord, tagged the rise as "profiteering" and "daylight robbery".

He said; "When we came back in to pay we were told that what we had been given was a 'live quote' and that in the space of 24 hours the same hotel, the same transfers and same seats on the same flights had had £2,000 added to it.

"If that isn't profiteering and daylight robbery, I don't know what is.

"I know there is a case for supply and demand but that's just nuts.

"Now we feel even more gutted than we did on Monday.

"We have had one holiday cancelled, which is one of those things, and organised another holiday which we were looking forward to but now feel like we have been mugged.

"I wouldn't be surprised if we went back home and found the house had burned down."

The couple, who have been together for seven years and generally book with Thomas Cook, say they have never known a holiday price to change once they had a quote.

"If you were getting a quote for a new window or a door and the next day it had doubled you would be pretty annoyed.

"I am not paying the extra £2,000.

"I think it is scandalous," Mr Carter added.

A spokesman for Tui said: "We really feel for everyone affected by the collapse of Thomas Cook.

"Tui uses a dynamic pricing model which means that our prices can go up or down.

"There are many variables which have to be taken in to account including peak dates of travel, regional airport differences and which channel our customers book through."