Extra bank holiday call

A travel company is calling on people across Shropshire to sign its petition campaigning for an extra bank holiday.Thomas Cook, which has branches across the county including in Oswestry and Shrewsbury, is urging residents to call into one of its stores or go online in a bid to gain as many signatures as possible. Slovenia tops the table with 18 bank holidays a year, while the UK has just eight.

In its biggest ever campaign, Thomas Cook will give holidaymakers a free day off millions of its holidays, booked between now and the end of March, subject to conditions.

Simon Robinson, executive director, distribution, Thomas Cook UK & Ireland, said: "Because we know how important holidays are and what a difference a day can make - be that a bank holiday or annual leave - we want to give holidaymakers in 2008 a chance to enjoy an extra free day.

"Normally at this time of year you'd expect holiday companies to offer just money off, but to show that we really want our campaign to make a difference we're prepared to offer our holidaymakers a day off now."

Holidaymakers wanting to make the most of the Go For A Free Day offer - and to sign the petition - can do so at any one of Thomas Cook's 800 stores in the UK or at www.thomascook.com

Thomas Cook's executive director of marketing, Simon Carter said: "We're calling on the Government to seriously look at the number of bank holidays that Brits have. At the moment its unbelievable that Brits sit at the bottom of the Euro bank holiday league, with only eight days off a year. "

In a recent survey, 57 per cent of MPs said they were in support of the idea.

"We created holidays, as they are known today, back in 1841, so it's only right for us to take up this challenge now," said Mr Carter.

To drive the campaign forward Thomas Cook will target MPs and lobby the Government. And to prove it means business the company will give its employees an extra day off in 2008.

Who has the most breaks:

• Slovenia, 18
• Spain, 16 (9-16 depending upon region); Cyprus, 16
• Austria, 15; Slovakia, 15
• Latvia, 14; Malta, 14; Finland, 14
• Bulgaria, 13; Greece, 13
• Belgium, 12; Denmark, 12; Estonia, 12; Czech Republic, 12; Portugal, 12
• France, 11; Luxemburg, 11; Sweden, 11; Italy, 11; Netherlands, 11; Lithuania, 11
• Ireland, 10; Northern Ireland, 10; Hungary, 10
• Germany, 9
• UK, 8
• Romania, 7.5