Circus shunned from Thorpe Park

Director Russ Randelle is now £200 out of pocket from the tickets he paid for, to allow his staff a treat after they had completed a show at Laleham CE Primary School, he said: "The staff at Thorpe Park looked at us as if we were a group of gypsies about to move in and pitch up.

"They made me feel like a second class citizen, I couldn't understand why they didn't think we were genuine."

Mr Randelle, 54, from Southampton, set up the circus which tours schools in the south of England 17 years ago.

The team are paid a base rate but the profit made from the tickets they sell is kept by the schools they visit.

Mr Randelle ,54, from Southampton, was outraged that his staff, which includes his son, 18, who is his clown partner and his daughter, 22, who is an acrobat, were let down down at such short notice, he said: "I feel very disgusted, we have foreign staff from Hungry and Romania, they don't have theme parks in their countries, they had had all night to get excited about this.

"They said we could go back another day but we can't because we're working, and when we finish for the season, everyone goes they're separate ways, back to their own countries."

Instead of spending a day at the theme park Happy's Circus spent 8 hours in a lay by near Amersham waiting for their next show which didn't start until 6.30pm that evening.

Thorpe park defended their decision to turn the team away from the park by referring to their terms and conditions, a spokesperson said: "(It) is clearly stated in our terms and conditions, 'motor homes, camper vans, caravans or any other vehicle intended for such purpose are not permitted' anywhere within the grounds of Thorpe Park.

"Unfortunately, despite our efforts, we have not been able to get in contact with the guests to arrange this refund on either of the numbers they gave us, but we are still trying."