It was a wedding night Kevin and Vicki Harwood would rather forget.

Twenty-four-year-old Kevin and his bride, still wearing her wedding gown, were in high spirits when they rolled up at the hotel in a flash Cadillac.

So they could hardly believe their ears when they were told by staff at the Travel Inn, in New-haven, that there was no room for them.

A suite had already been reserved and paid for by friends and colleagues as a surprise for the young couple, who had not spent a night alone together since the birth of their twins more than a year ago.

They left their friends celebrating at the reception in Peacehaven Golf Club, arriving at the hotel at about midnight.

Vicki, 19, of Hamsey Road, Saltdean, said: "The man behind the counter looked a bit funny and said there had been an error and would we mind waiting. Then he came back and said there was no record of us staying there. We had been given a booking form by our friends but the staff were very rude and said we could have got that anywhere.

"They treated us very badly even though they knew it was our wedding night.

"Kevin was getting annoyed so we went and sat on a wall in the car park. We just didn't know what to do. It was our wedding night and it had been ruined.

"It was embarrassing because I was getting funny looks."

About 40 minutes after arriving a room was found for the couple, but Vicki said staff never admitted making a mistake.

The hotel has since found the lost booking reference and written to the couple to apologise for the blunder and offer them a free night's stay and meal, which they accepted.

A spokesman for the Travel Inn said: "It was a genuine mistake for which we apologised later on."