HUNDREDS of families have spoken of their disappointment after attending Bolton’s Winter Weekend event.

The two-day event was held this weekend and promised appearances from Walt Disney film favourites, an ice rink, kids activities, and a Santa’s Grotto.

However, families who attended the event at Bolton Arena have complained to The Bolton News that it was “more like a car boot sale” and accused the organisers of “false advertising”.

Others say there was little for children to do, with stalls selling items such as acne cream and car registration plates.

Parents also say they did not realise the 'ice rink' would be plastic, and have complained about queues of up to two hours for the Santa’s Grotto.

But, the event’s manager said he believed families had received value for money, and that it was “great for the town to be associated with such an event”.

Harry Houghton, who went to the event with his children called it a “disaster”, saying they waited for more than two hours in a queue to see Father Christmas and that he felt like he had been “ripped off”, with poor stalls selling items unrelated to Christmas or winter.

He explained that he could find no staff from the events company to direct his complaints towards.

Another person, a mother, said her family had jointly spent £60 on tickets for the Winter Weekend, and that the stalls were “more like a car boot”, adding that her young children left the event feeling “disappointed”.

Ian Jagger, from Blackburn, attended the event on Sunday with his partner Natalie and four-year-old daughter Annie.

The family had pre-bought tickets for a number of activities, but said they had decided not to use them due to the length of the queues.

Mr Jagger added: “It is like a car boot sale.

“The queues are too long, and there is nothing on offer for the kids.

“We have been to the Winter Wonderland in Manchester and it looks like an actual Santa’s Grotto. This is just a lit hall with people selling stuff on tables.”

On Facebook, a number of people shared similar experience of visiting the event.

Chellie Louise Kitchen said: “Looks like something Brian Potter from Phoenix nights had set up. Nothing Christmassy about it at all!”

Adult tickets to the event were priced at £3 per day, while a weekend pass was £5. Children under 12 were able to get in to the event for free, if accompanied by a paying adult.

However, separate tickets were required for the Santa’s Grotto, snow globe and ice rink. Rides, stalls, and events operated by third parties also cost extra.

Calls have now been made for the company that organised the event, Cree8ive Events, to issue refunds, but several people have complained that comments left on the event’s Facebook page had been deleted.

Mum Claire Simm, who bought a weekend ticket, described it as ‘the least festive event ever’.

She added: “I felt like I had been to a car boot. I went at 10.10am and was home for 1.30. I wouldn’t have been there that long but was stuck in the Santa queue.

“I haven’t been back today as there just wasn’t a single thing to entice me back, so wasted money on both days.”

Event manager Martin Robinson acknowledged that there had been issues with queueing on the Saturday, and said measures were introduced on day two to improve matters.

He added: “We had a lot more people turn up than we expected.

“We moved the grotto and snow globe around to make queueing easier and get more people through in a better way.”

Mr Robinson added that there was plenty for youngsters to do at the event.

“This event is fantastic for Bolton,” he said. “It is great for the town to be associated with such an event. We are trying to bring the local community and businesses together, and it is so cheap for what you are getting.

“The response at the event has actually been really positive. People are just jumping on the bandwagon when they have left. If it was that bad, the stall holders would not still be here.

“We have not advertised this as a Christmas event. It is a Winter Weekend with a festive feel.”

He added that responses would be issued to those that have complained to organisers “in due course”.