'I just can’t believe our luck' - Hartlepool family celebrates free holiday in New York

Chloe Watson was the lucky winner of the Hays Travel Great Payday Holiday Giveaway.

To be in with a chance of winning, all people needed to do was book a holiday with the firm over the last weekend in January.

All bookings taken were entered into a prize draw and the winner was chosen at random – getting the holiday for free.

Chloe and her brother Daniel booked a special trip to the Big Apple to celebrate their mum Julia’s 60th birthday at the firm’s holiday store at Middleton Grange Shopping Centre.

Chloe said: “My brother and I just can’t believe our luck.

"We wanted to book with a travel agent as it was such a big trip and a lot of money and I’m so glad we did.”

“We will be turning all the money into dollars to spend while we are away.”

Hays Travel branch manager Alison Melville-Price said, “We are over the moon that it is one of our customers who won their holiday.

"It is also fantastic that the trip is for such a special reason for the family.”

Hays Travel is the UK’s largest independent travel agent and has operated from its base in Sunderland for 41 years.

In October 2019, Hays Travel acquired the former Thomas Cook retail portfolio and it now has around 450 shops around the UK and employs more than 7,000 people.