A five-year-old British boy was handed an invoice for a "Child's Party No Show Fee" and threatened with court action after missing his schoolmate's birthday party.

Torpoint Nursery and Infant School in southern England said one of their teachers was asked to pass on an envelope from the birthday boy's mother to youngster Alex Nash as he returned from the Christmas break.

Inside, father Derek Nash found a demand for 15.95 pounds ($A29.40) from parent Julie Lawrence, according to British press reports.

Mr Nash's son Alex missed the party to spend the day with his grandparents.

According to reports the invoice appeared to be from Plymouth Ski Slope, the venue of the "slide and ride" party that included three toboggan rides, a hot meal, ice cream, jelly and balloons.

The venue distanced itself from the dispute and said the matter was between the children's parents.

"It was a proper invoice with full official details and even her bank details on it," Mr Nash, 45, told the British press.

Having not yet paid the bill, the family is now threatened with action in the small claims court, which deals with minor civil disputes.

"The money isn't the issue, it's the way she [mother Julie Lawrence] went about trying to get the money from me," Mr Nash said.

Ms Lawrence has stood by her demand in a statement issued to the press.

"All details were on the party invite. They had every detail needed to contact me," she said.

Mr Nash said he had lost Ms Lawrence's contact details.

Plymouth Ski Slope manager Louisa Duggan said the business would never issue invoices for no-shows.

She said the venue's address had been "fraudulently" added to the bill.

"Apart from the fact they had the party here, we have nothing else to do with it," Ms Duggan said.

AFP