Cleaner Julie Morgan was devastated after discovering she may have fallen victim to a misleading holiday prize, shattering her dreams of a first foreign trip.

Julie received a letter in the post telling her she had won a holiday abroad in a competition.

All she had to do was send off a registration fee of £29.50 and the same amount for her partner Buster Smith, who was going with her on the seven-day break to Malta.

Julie, 36, who has just moved into a home with Buster in Stapley Road, Hove, said: "I've never been abroad before and I was really excited. I'd chosen clothes and saved holiday to be able to go.

"I've never been on holiday before, not abroad or here. It was going to be a break to relax."

When the couple received the notice of the win from Holidays Direct in Old Christchurch Road, Bournemouth, they were a little sceptical, so they carefully read through the small print.

They even telephoned the company to discuss the prize. Julie, who works for rail company Connex, said: "I asked if it was a time share scheme and they said absolutely not. It seemed so convincing, there were brochures and paperwork."

They were also given a certificate to confirm they were entitled to the holiday for two.

The couple sent off a cheque which was cashed by the company.

Then the horrified couple read in The Argus last week that Brighton and Hove City Council trading standards officers were warning residents the competition prize may not be all it seemed.

Ray Moore, principal trading standards officer for the council, said the company had been investigated by trading standards officers in Staffordshire.

A spokesman for Staffordshire County Council said: "The basic cost of the holiday is advertised as £29.50.

"You will have to pay more if you want to choose your destination, date of travel and departure airport. You will probably be offered extras, such as insurance, transfers and places for children. You may have to pay airport duties."

He said the holiday could end up costing more than if someone had gone into a travel agents and bought a package.

Julie, who has one grown-up son, said: "I have tried to call them and all I get is an answer service telling me to call a number. When I did, the number was dead. I was devastated and wanted to cry."

The Argus contacted the company and received a recorded message saying all operators were busy but people who wanted to claim the prize had to fill out the claim forms and gave a claim number.

The message then told callers where to send the forms and said the telephone number for the booking line was on the forms.

We called the booking line number yesterday and the line was dead.