IT was supposed to be a magical enchanting Christmas winter wonderland.

Transforming part of the New Forest into a snow-covered Lapland village.

But a Christmas theme park which opened at the weekend has left kids in tears and angry parents demanding their money back.

Organisers of the attraction apologised blaming unreliable staff and family illness.

Today trading standards officers confirmed they had received a number of complaints and were investigating.

The action comes after calls flooded into the Daily Echo over the weekend complaining about the event, describing chaotic queues of up to three hours in the wet and cold to see Santa.

They also claimed a “magical tunnel of light” turned out to be a line of trees with some lights on them, and advertised Hollywood special FX comprised a sprinkle of spray-on snow.

Parents also said log cabins resembled “B&Q sheds”, a nativity scene was on a distant billboard and reindeer and huskies were penned up or tethered almost out of sight.

Click here to see what the park should have looked like... and the reality that faced visitors.

Many could not find the Christmas market and an advertised outdoor skate rink, which was closed for repairs, was on a neighbouring fairground which cost £4 a ride.

On top of the £100 family of four ticket, parents were charged an extra £10 if they wanted a picture with Santa, and then had to trudge over to a separate hut to collect an unwrapped present.

Today Iavan Hancock of Dorset Trading Standards said they had 50 complaints this morning which was "unprecedented".

He added: "Anyone who has bought a ticket should be prepared to be disappointed."

Lapland New Forest opened on Saturday at Matchams Leisure Park in Hurn Road near Ringwood.

Henry Mears, the event’s advertising chief, blamed family illness and unreliable staff for the “very serious problem”

Mum's picture diary of Lapland attraction - click here “It’s been a very bad first day. I’m a bit ashamed of myself, to be honest. I would like to apologise to all those people affected. But we will get it sorted out for tomorrow,”

Mr Mears promised on Saturday.

He said one of three men booked to work at the park as Santa Claus had phoned in ill. And he insisted staff had been working all day to repair a fractured aluminium pipe for the ice rink.

But yesterday families continued to walk out in disgust with the same stories.

Mr Mears has advised disgruntled customers to contact him at info@laplandnewforest.co.uk.

Among the calls that came into the Daily Echo were from entertainer Steve Hull, 41, from Fareham, who took his family.

The 41-year-old said: “I’ve been to the real Lapland. This is like a car boot or Sunday market.”

B r i d g e t Whitemore, 40, a sports centre manager from S h o l i n g , Southampton, paid £130 for tickets to take her husband, two children and an aunt. “We kept saying you will have a lovely magical day. It’s going to be beautiful. But they were just so disappointed.”

Husband Andy, 44, added: “One of the little ones was broken-hearted because she came to see Father Christmas.We gave up.”

A tearful Anne Lenton, 59, had travelled from Brighton and s t a y e d overnight in a hotel with her daughter to give her three grandchildren a treat.

She said: “It’s an absolute sham. It needs to be closed down it’s so bad. It’s like a derelict building site. I brought my grandchildren away crying.”

Mrs Lenton said the website had lured her into “a false sense of security”. She spent around £300 on the whole weekend trip.

Libbie Carr, 21,went with her parents and nephews, aged six and four. She shelled out £200 on eight tickets.

The university student from Boarhunt, Fareham said: “They were really looking forward to it.

But when we got there it was such a let down.”

“The children were mostly expecting to see Santa but we just couldn’t queue up for two hours.”

Natalie Tull, 33, from West End, who spent £170 on what was meant to be a “family fun day”, added: “It was a nightmare from start to finish.”

Were you there? What did you think? Contact Daily Echo newsdesk at newsdesk@dailyecho.co.uk or ring 023 80424522.