A Devon family who saved vouchers so they could go on a £10 holiday have been fined £350 for taking their children out of school.
Simon and Karen Richardson could not afford an expensive break with their four children collected vouchers to save money.
But they returned from the five-day trip to Perranporth, Cornwall to discover they had been fined £369 for taking Jodie-Ann, 9, Aiden, 6, and Alex, 7, out of school.
The Richardson family from Bideford, Devon saved vouchers for a £10 holiday - but were hit with a £369 fine for taking their children out of school
Mrs Richardson, 35, said they took the risk of going on the trip during term time as they believed the maximum fine they would receive would be £60 and a similar trip during holidays would have cost in excess of £400.
But instead both parents have been charged for each of their three children that all attend East-the-Water Community Primary School in Bideford, Devon.
The costly break has left Mrs Richardson - who also took her two-year-old son Liam with her - upset and angry.
She said: 'I think it is appalling. The school has got it so wrong. We are both working parents and we don't get much family time and we simply can't afford to go away during the school holidays.
'If we had known it was going to cost us this much, we would never have gone.'
The family have been told the fine must be paid within 28 days or it will be doubled. If that is not paid they could face a fine up to £2,500 and three months in prison.
Mrs Richardson, from Bideford, said: 'I am concerned that we won't be able to pay the fine and worried that any court action could jeopardise my husband's job as an electrician visiting local schools.'
She said she did write to the school to make the request to take the time off but Devon County Council say it stands by its decision and claims its procedures were followed correctly.
Its policy states that leaves of absence during term time can only be granted by the head teacher and is only allowed in exceptional circumstances - which do not include trying to avoid expensive holidays.
A spokesman said: 'If the school refuses your request and the child is taken out of school, this will be recorded as an unauthorised absence and this may make you liable to a penalty notice for each child, payable by each parent or carer.'
The school have yet to comment on the row.
