HAMPSHIRE swimmers could be left more than £20,000 out of pocket after being caught in the Monarch Airlines collapse.

Youngsters at the Hamble Aquatics Swim Team could lose more than £20,000 and miss a long-awaited training session after the travel firm cancelled all flights.

Monarch Airlines went into administration in the early hours of Monday morning and, as a result, thousands of flights and holidays have been cancelled.

Now swimmers and staff in the team, who booked their flight to Lanzarote thorough the airline, may lose the £8,300 they paid for the flights and £12,500 they paid for the accommodation and miss the training.

Nineteen swimmers aged between 12 and 19 and six coaches along with other members of the team booked their flights in January 2017 and were due to have a session at the popular training centre Club La Santa from October 19 to 25.

This was to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the club which was set up in Hamble back in 1997 to provide its swimmers with the chance to fulfil their potential all levels.

However, their training camp has now been thrown into chaos.

Amy Rodger, head coach at Hamble Aquatics Swim Team, said: “It’s heartbreaking. We have been working hard and kids are waiting for it. Now it’s all at risk because we can’t find the flights. We don’t want to lose this opportunity; we need to find a new flight that can accommodate all of us. We don’t want to cancel the trip.”

Ms Rodger said the club had already emailed several airlines.

She added: “The money we made at the club went towards the accommodation and flights and we don’t have more money to use now so it’s up to the families and what they can do unless we find a generous person or unless we’ll get the money back from the bank, but we still don’t have a flight.”

Monarch customers who have not yet departed will receive a full refund if their booking was protected by the Air Travel Organiser’s Licence (Atol).

If it was not, they may be able to seek compensation through their travel insurance or credit card company.

Ms Rodger said the club was not protected by Atol and has contacted Barclays Bank to see if it can be refunded.

Tom North, 44, a police officer, from Lee-On-The-Solent, was due to go to Lanzarote with his 13-year-old daughter and the rest of the team.

He explained that the club had paid through a bank transfer: “This gives us no protection and we can’t have the money back unless Barclays Bank as a gesture of goodwill refunds us. Our only option is to appeal to the goodwill of Barclays Bank to refund the flight money. If Barclays will refund the payment we will be able to rebook alternative flights and save our trip.”

The Hamble Aquatics Swim Team has confirmed that discussions with the bank are still ongoing.

The Daily Echo contacted Barclays but it was unable to provide a comment by the time the Echo went to press.