WHEN Saints won a place in the FA Cup Final no one cheered louder than avid fan Carol Horn but the date for the May 17 fixture left her with a pressing problem - it clashed with the £600 two-week summer sunshine holiday she had pre-booked months ago.

Few people who support neither Southampton or rivals Arsenal would pass up a holiday in Pathos, Cyprus, for a day trip to Cardiff but this season ticket holder was prepared to miss the chance of a tan and cocktails round the pool to support her home team.

Luckily for Carol, of Park Road, Freemantle, staff at Going Places travel agents in London Road, Southampton, helped her to fulfil both dream dates and rescheduled her holiday.

"I booked my holiday last August to go to Pathos by myself and by the time I came to pay the final instalment in March, I was getting seriously worried about the dates," said the 45-year-old British Gas customer services advisor.

"I told the assistant I wasn't sure about it because Saints were in the semi-final but she just laughed at me.

"I kept telling myself all along that if Saints got through I would have to go to Cyprus but after watching the semi-final at Villa Park I knew I had to go to Cardiff.

"The atmosphere was so good and I saw the semi-final and final in 1976. I couldn't bear to miss seeing them doing it again.

"After the semi-final on the Sunday I went to Going Places on the following Tuesday.

"The lady said she had been expecting to see me the day before and said I was late!

"They were absolutely fantastic. It's cost me around an extra £134 because I have to stay at a different hotel but it's worth it.

"If they had said I couldn't rearrange it I would just have had to lose my money.

"There was no way I would have missed the final."