Fuming Mike and Amanda Barber have told how their holiday was ruined when hotel reps told their daughter: “Only German children can play on the swings.”

They were stunned to find all British families were locked out of the posh children’s club at the Greek holiday island resort of Meltemi Village in Crete.

While German children enjoyed a sheltered playground, air-conditioned indoor play area and had their own toilets in a securely gated compound, Brits were told to dump their offspring in a hot, wooden hut with no gate.

Mike, a 52-year-old decorator from Eastbourne, had booked the package holiday through Thomas Cook. He said: “The kids couldn’t even use the same toilets – they had to walk a few hundred metres from their shed.

“I was stunned when our seven-year-old daughter came back in tears saying she had been told she wasn’t allowed to use the swings because they were only for the Germans. How do you explain that to a kid her age?

“I wasn’t surprised to find you had to be at the pool by 7am to bag a sun lounger but this was something else. We were treated like second-class citizens.”

Even the swimming pool buoyancy aids were reserved for German children.

Mike and Amanda, a 43-yearold business manager, were told to buy their own in town.

The couple had saved up all year to take their three children, aged 14, 12 and seven, and Mike’s grandson, 11, on their annual allinclusive two-week holiday.

But with nothing for the youngsters to do, they ended up forking out an extra £1,000 to keep them amused and try to salvage something from the nightmare trip.

Mike said: “The package holiday was a lot of money but we thought at least we won’t have to pay much more when we get there and the kids will love it.

“We chose the place because it promised loads for them, including a Brazilian football club, superstar stage school and family entertainment.

“The Germans might have had that but we wouldn’t know as we weren’t allowed near the kids’ club. We ended up hiring a car and paying extra for days out or they would have been bored out of their minds.” Half-way into the fortnight they begged to be moved to another resort but were told it would cost them more than £300 to be downgraded at the nearest available resort.

When they complained back at home, German-owned Thomas Cook insisted the “segregation”

was fair because there were more Germans at the resort.

The firm’s letter added: “Some people prefer to join in with mixed nationality clubs whereas others prefer for clubs to be separated into nationalities.” It refused to accept the couple’s claim for compensation or a replacement holiday but sent them a cheque for £115 to “restore their faith in Thomas Cook”.

The company has since upped its offer to £350 but Mike said: “Nothing could make up for that holiday. It was the worst of our lives.

“But what upset us most is that Thomas Cook thought there was nothing wrong banning all British kids from the best facilities.

“That is pure discrimination.

It’s a horrible lesson to dish out to kids on holiday.”

Other parents have complained about the two-tier children’s club system on holiday review websites, with one saying: “Even all the TV is in German.”

A Thomas Cook spokeswoman said different tour operators ran their own clubs at the resort.

She added: “Mr Barber’s feedback has been investigated and we have responded to him on all the points he has raised with us. Mr Barber has been offered a goodwill gesture by way of an apology for any inconvenience caused.”