A mother has been forced to dip into her pocket to pay for another holiday after the collapse of the XL Leisure Group.

Tens of thousands of holidaymakers have been left stranded after the UK’s third largest tour operator went into administration and grounded all flights.

XL Leisure Group declared bankruptcy having failed to secure a rescue package amid deep financial difficulties.

Stephanie Alexander, 29, of Florence Park, Oxford, booked a £640 week's holiday in St Lucia, with XL operator Travel City Direct, and is now waiting for a refund.

She said: "I am on maternity leave at the moment and was going away for a break with my nine-month-old son Jacob.

"I paid with a debit card and will get my money back but I will have to wait for the refund so I will end up forking out for another holiday.

"It's annoying, but there's nothing I can do about it."

Meanwhile, the manager of the MidCounties Co-op's travel division pledged to help Oxfordshire customers affected by the collapse of XL.

Geoff Hurmson is general manager of the business, which has branches in Botley, Headington, Kidlington and Thame.

He said: "We have 40 customers on holiday with XL, and 400 booked to go between now and next summer, with 50 to 100 due to fly out over the next week.

"We are prioritising the imminent departures, predominantly to Greece and Spain, and we want to reassure customers that we will do our best to provide them with alternative holidays, or a refund through the Civil Aviation Authority.

Mr Hurmson added some MidCounties customers were due to fly out this evening from Manchester to Majorca.

Chris Lewis, director of Wantage-based Oxonian Travel, added: "We have a couple of customers going out in October, but we are reassuring them that their packages are safe."

Scores of disappointed XL customers queued at the firm’s main airport Gatwick yesterday morning, one of the busiest days of the week for holiday flights.

Many had no idea what had happened until they were told by airport officials.

Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly said everything possible was being done to get stranded holidaymakers home.

Any concerned Co-op customers can telephone 01922 700001.