Karen Billien with a copy of The Sun featuring a picture of her daughter and grandson outside Lapland New Forest, which had been closed down following a barrage of complaints. (Picture by John O’Neill, 0685245)

A CHRISTMAS Lapland dream turned into a nightmare.

Karen Billien and her family were left out in the cold when they arrived at Lapland New Forest to find Santa’s grotto closed and the gates firmly shut.

The 43-year-old Guernsey Press receptionist, her family and friends were among tens of thousands left disappointed after the theme park closed following a torrent of complaints to Dorset Trading Standards.

She and husband Wayne had been treating daughter Emma, four-year-old grandson Ryan and a friend and her two children to a day out at the ill-fated festive park.

‘Ryan was really disappointed. He was looking forward to seeing the snow dogs because he had been watching a Disney film with them in,’ said Mrs Billien.

Her husband saw the Lapland Christmas theme park advertised in Exchange & Mart and booked and paid £175 for the tickets over the phone in early November.