'We got Wonka'd': Barbie event issues refunds

The organiser of a Barbie event in Florida is issuing refunds after photos from attendees drew mockery on social media – and a very unflattering comparison.

Barbie Dream Fest in Fort Lauderdale promised an interactive dream house, roller-skating party, fashion show, workshops, and more, with tickets ranging from $69 (£52) to $449 (£340). But it didn't meet expectations for some fans, with the line-up of attractions – providing shots of pink in an otherwise rather dour-looking convention centre – being compared to an infamous Willy Wonka event in Glasgow.

That disastrous dedication to one of literature's most recognisable characters also saw refunds issued. Children were even left in tears, and police were called too.

There was no such intervention at Fort Lauderdale but one Barbie fan said on social media: "We got Wonka'd!" A spokesperson for Mattel, which owns Barbie, has acknowledged the reaction after some attendees told Sky's US partner network NBC News of their experience. 'Not the calibre of Barbie' Brenna Miller, who paid nearly $500 (£379) for a VIP, three-day "Dream Pass.