70 Comments
The phrase 'Winter Wonderland' brings to mind images of a snow-covered utopia full of reindeer, cozy log cabins and industrious elves. The interpretation presented at Lapland New Forest was more along the lines of a carpark with a few sheds, tractor tyres and some depressed-looking huskies.

Delights such as the "nativity scene" (a painted wall at the end of a muddy field) and "tunnel of light" (some Christmas lights strung from tree branches) did not live up to expectations. Nor did a "bustling Christmas market" consisting of four stalls inside a tent.

Now, after two elves who worked at the park sold their story to The Sun and more than 2,000 complaints were lodged, the park has been shut down permanently.

A big sign outside the park tells visitors that the park has closed and directs them to the park's hilariously misleading website.

There has been no word from park owner Henry Mears, who on Monday labeled the disgruntled customers "professional troublemakers" who "like to get into queues and just generate a bit of aggravation."

And they say the holiday spirit is dead.

Take a look at our favourite shots of the Lapland nightmare below -- and let us know if you've been there yourself in the comments!

Crapland

    A wealthy woman from in her 80s from Windsor reported 20 huskies missing last week... coincidence?

    PA Images

    There is no way out.

    PA Images

    You might think that bear looks a bit wooden. Actually he's just hoping his buddies in space are going to be okay.

    PA Images

    It might just be us, but there is something about this woman's facial expression that just doesn't express holiday cheer.

    PA Images

    Give it 50 years and thanks to global warming this might be what Lapland actually looks like.

    PA Images

    The "tunnel of light" featured a few electric bulbs and a lot of fake snow. The "tunnel of darkness" is what the visitors found themselves staring into when they realised they'd wasted all their money on this hellhole.

    PA Images

    Yep. That's just about as much wine as we'd need to make this place fun.

    PA Images

    That's a vision of the nativity that only an atheist could enjoy.

    PA Images

    The two extremes of dignity and dignity lost, in one painful photograph.

    PA Images

    That's one depressed looking reindeer. Maybe he just heard that Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer just fell off the wagon. (His nose is red for a reason.)

    PA Images