The former Thomas Cook in Deal will reopen after an independent travel agent stepped in to save jobs.

Six employees have been reemployed by Hays Travel, a 39-year-old firm run by John and Irene Hays.

Speaking from an information help session at the Astor Theatre yesterday (Tuesday), Victoria Dyson, known as Millie in store, said they hope to have the keys by the end of the week.

She said: "We're all so excited and can't believe how it's turned out.

"We were feeling that the rug had been pulled right from underneath us but Hays has firmly put it back in place.

"We've signed our contracts and we've been doing online training and getting to know their system.

"We've also been familiarising ourselves with their products."

Enya Disney will be the manager with Michelle Andrews as assistant manager.

Ms Dyson, a sales consultant, said: "I got a call from my regional manager who said he'd been approached by Hays to run the Kent region shops. He said Deal was a great profitable site, hugely successful and we want to get you in ASAP."

Ms Dyson, who had contemplated setting up as an independent travel agent said returning to her former office and team was a "no brainer."

John and Irene Hays, managing director and group chair of Hays Travel Limited, said: "Thomas Cook was a much-loved brand employing talented people. We look forward to working with many of them."

While the transfer continues to take shape, the team from Deal continues as planned to hold a help session for Thomas Cook customers who have lost their holidays.

More than 10 holidaymakers attended with questions about their claims, including mum of three Sarah Bennett who lost her two-week holiday to Turkey, a week before they were due to depart.

She said her 14-year-old son who has autism and attends a specialist school near Westwood Cross had "battled" to understand the situation.

She said: "My husband got up early in the morning and watched the news and came into me and said, 'That's it, it's gone!'

"Because of our son's needs, we had shown him videos of the plane and take off and every inch of the hotel. He already suffers with depression and we were hoping that the holiday would give him the time away from school he needed, to swim, to relax, to have our undivided attention.

"We just felt despair."

The team helped Mrs Bennett submit a claim for the £2,200 she lost. She was told to wait 60 days for a response.

Read more: All the latest news from Deal