AN ELDERLY couple’s £2,000 dream holiday to India was scuppered after border guards at Goa Airport said their visa was out of date – by five minutes.

Ned Beecroft and his partner Margaret Wilson, both 77, got off their ten-hour flight only to be turned round by officials and bundled straight back on the same plane.

3 Ned Beecroft and his partner Margaret Wilson, both 77, were refused entry to India after border guards said their visa was out of date Credit: Gary Stone -The Sun

The couple of Broadstairs, Kent, took off from Gatwick at 9.15am on March 21 but because of the five-hour time difference they touched down at 0.05am on March 22.

Retired removal man Ned couldn’t believe it when Margaret turned to him from the desk and said: “They’re not letting us in, we’re too late”.

The frail couple say they were left ill for weeks following the 20-hour ordeal but despite complaining to the Indian embassy they’ve heard nothing back.

Ned said: “We’ve wanted to go to India for ages, but we’re certainly not going back now.

3 The frail couple say they were left ill for weeks following the 20-hour ordeal but heard nothing from the Indian embassy Credit: Gary Stone -The Sun

“You just can’t argue with these people. We’re lucky the plane hadn’t left, otherwise they told us we’d have to spend the night in a cell.

“We were totally exhausted by the whole thing, to arrive only to be turned back. It left us both really sick.

“It’s not good for anyone to be on a plane for that long, let alone when you get to our age. Why they had to send us home for the sake of five minutes on a piece of paper is beyond us.”

Ned and Margaret are both dyslexic and so got a friend to help them fill in the online visa form.

3 They lost out on their £2000 holiday to an all inclusive resort as well as £120 for the visas Credit: Alamy

It was valid for 60 days but because the entry date was technically wrong they were not allowed in and sent back to Gatwick.

Ned said: “Why would we want to stay there for? We’re pensioners, we have a nice home here and a pension scheme.

“We’re not exactly likely to be trying to emigrate illegally.”

The couple had splashed out on an all-inclusive package worth around £2,000 at Lagoa Azul hotel nestled in blue water lagoon in Goa on India’s West Coast.

MOST READ IN UK NEWS DOG BITE DEATH Dog owner, 35, mauled to death by family pet while having an epileptic fit CLUB FURY Footballer who beat girlfriend & forced her to eat paint signs to new club BE A POPPY STAR Capt Tom & Becks launch Sun campaign to save Poppy Appeal from Covid threat COP ATTACK Eleven firearm cops injured in horrific ‘acid attack’ during armed drugs raid HAPPY MEAL McDonald’s worker pays customer’s bill after he calls mum to ask for her order Exclusive PIERS PRESSURE Couple wiped out village's internet for 18 MONTHS to watch Piers on £30 TV

They also spent £120 on the two visas as well as £60 on jabs.

Ned said: “All that money is gone, there’s no way to get it back. We’ve tried writing to the Indian embassy but they must have just ignored it. The whole thing was a complete nightmare, how can they treat people like this?”

The Sun repeatedly tried to contact the Indian Embassy for comment but there was no response.