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A Co Down mum believes she has uncovered Northern Ireland’s worst tourist attraction - and it lies in the shadow of Europe’s very best.

Michelle Marshall, from Millisle, took her six-year-old daughter Arianna, to a crazy golf course near Titanic Belfast as a treat before the school term started.

But the Groupon bargain she picked up for £12 did not deliver all that she said it promised.

Michelle said: “The picture on the Groupon site looked great and showed a really nice family day out and the description sounded perfect for us.

“My sister is great at getting bargains online and they’re normally great and my daughter was really excited about going to play crazy golf.

“I assumed it would be pretty new and nice because it was in the Titanic Quarter but when we got there we just couldn’t believe our eyes.

“Honestly, we just stood and looked at each other and started laughing - it was absolute rubbish.

“The place was a complete mess. It looked like some sort of ghost playground left behind after a civil war.”

The Universal Sports Arena site is situated beside T13 in the Titanic Quarter in the shadow of Titanic Belfast which was named this week as the top visitor attraction in Europe at the ‘Tourism Oscars’ over the Eiffel Tower.

It won Europe’s Leading Visitor Attraction at the prestigious World Travel Awards held in Sardinia, Italy.

And its crazy golf neighbour run by USANI, has a lot to live up to.

Mum Michelle said: “We’d travelled from Millisle and Arianna’s excitement increased the closer we got.

“But when we arrived it was a complete dump. The office where we collected the putters from is situated on waste ground, the actual crazy golf site itself is also on scrub land and it’s constructed from old scaffolding planks painted with wood reserve and nailed together.

“There’s even a lump of rotting wood used as an obstacle at one of the holes on the course.

“My sister Lenore and I were ready to walk away at the very sight of it because we thought it was so dangerous with all the rough ground, nails and metal, but Arianna still wanted to give it a go.

“We stayed about 15 minutes and then left after I went over on my ankle and twisted my leg.

“Lenore and I laughed about it but we spent good money on the crazy golf and petrol money getting up to Belfast, plus parking.

“The picture on the Groupon website and the description made the crazy golf look like a lot of fun.

“So without knowing what we were facing, we paid online and set off for a big day out.

“But when we got there we just couldn’t believe our eyes. I wonder if the people at Groupon know what they are dealing with?

“There are so many tourists visiting the Titanic Quarter I feel embarrassed they are being encouraged to visit this place. It’s a dump.

“Even the bench they have for people to sit on is rotten and falling apart.

“We will not be back and I’d be disgusted thinking of families spending their hard-earned money to go there.

“However if you want a real belly laugh, it’s worth a visit and take a copy of the Groupon ad to compare it to. It was so hideously awful my sister and I just laughed and laughed. We’d been taken for mugs by a glossy ad and no one is even embarrassed enough to try to tart the place up.”

The course is run by Universal Sports Arena and promises “12 holes of golf madness”.

The website states: “Some holes will drive you crazy! But hey that’s the name of the game!

“When you arrive you will be given a score card, holder and pencil along with a suitable ball and putter.

“We have adult and junior putter. Lowest score wins the round.”

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USANI charge £4 per person - over 16s, £10 for a family of two adults and two children. Students and the over-60s can get access for £3.

And the website which advertises team building offers, states: “No need to book.”

Belfast Live made several attempts to contact Groupon in London and Manila, Philippines, and Universal Sports Arena in Belfast for response.