A disabled woman who claimed she had been on a holiday from hell has been awarded just £44.50 compensation by a judge.

Helen Batchelor, who uses a wheelchair, said she and her family were stranded in Scarborough after a Christmas coach trip ended in disaster.

She claimed she was forced to get a taxi home for £200 after she lost her temper with the coach driver and courier and was banned from the coach.

She made a claim for £1,000 compensation at Brighton County Court against Brighton-based firm, Pavilion Travel and Tours.

After the hearing Ms Batchelor, 40, of Denmark Road, Portslade, said: "The judge said I did not deserve compensation because I lost my temper. That is not fair.

"It was an insult to get £44.50. It was a waste of time going to court."

During a two-day hearing the court heard Ms Batchelor went on the four-day break in November 2001, with her daughter Emma, 19, her mother Pamela, 63, and grandmother Rose Davies, 86.

She complained there had been a series of mistakes and mix-ups. When they arrived at the Grand Hotel in Scarborough, she was upset about the disabled access and problems with the bedrooms, which meant the family was split up over four floors of the large hotel.

She admitted shouting and swearing at the coach driver and courier and grabbing them both.

After one night at the hotel she said the driver banned her from the coach and she was forced to arrange a taxi home. The company denied it had refused to bring her home.

It only banned her from any daily excursions during the trip because of her verbal and physical abuse of staff.

The firm said some of the problems were caused by Ms Batchelor's party failing to pay the full balance for their holiday on time and it had to be rearranged.

Other holidaymakers had complained about her behaviour and foul-language on the coach.

Coach driver Tony Taylor said in court to Ms Batchelor: "Your language on the coach was appalling. Your attitude all the way through was absolutely appalling. You started shouting and screaming in the street."

Courier Marla Parker told Ms Batchelor: "Never in my life have I been treated in the way you treated me. It was such a shock. I wish I had called the police."

District Judge Margaret Fawcett said the company had not been in breach of contract.

She believed all the problems could have been overcome if Ms Batchelor had not lost her temper.

The judge ruled the company would have arranged alternative transport on a National Express coach.

The company was ordered to pay the £29.50 cost of a coach ticket plus taxi fares to and from the coach station.