Is this the world's worst Willy Wonka experience? Parent fury after 'immersive' Charlie and the Chocolate Factory event turns out to be a tiny bouncy castle, small lollypop and single Oompa-Loompa

Parents were left furious when they turned up to an 'immersive' Willy Wonka event and their children were left sobbing when it turned out to be a tiny bouncy castle and a small lollipop. 

Irate parents slammed the £35-a-ticket event in Glasgow as 'an absolute shambles' after being promised 'a universe where your dreams come true' and would 'make memories that will last a lifetime'.

Just 24 hours before 'Willy's Chocolate Experience' on Saturday at the Boxhub, organisers House of Illuminati posted pictures of a van full of props and said 'it's all coming together nicely'. 

Yet families were left stunned when they arrived and were greeted with a near-empty warehouse with a few Wonka-themed props and a small bouncy castle, leaving distraught children in floods of tears. 

The event was cancelled halfway through on Saturday as angered mothers, fathers and grandparents demanded refunds. Organisers have promised to give people their money back. 

A Police Scotland spokesperson said officers were called to the cancelled event and 'advice was given'. 

Did YOU attend the event? Email [email protected] 

Police were called to an 'immersive' Willy Wonka event in Glasgow after it was cancelled halfway through

Furious parents slammed the £35-a-ticket event in Glasgow as 'an absolute shambles' after being promised 'a universe where your dreams come true'

Yet families were left stunned when they arrived and were greeted with a near-empty factory with a few Wonka-themed props and a small bouncy castle

Angry families gathered outside and demanded refunds after the event was prematurely shut down

Despite organisers posting pictures on social media of thousands of sweets and lollies in the days leading up to the event, it was claimed by one parent their children were handed just a couple of jelly babies and a quarter of a can of Barr's limeade. 

Paula Graham, 36, of Johnstone, Renfrewshire, went to the event with her husband Andrew, 39, their daughter Anna, eight, and her friend.

She told The Sun they forked out £65 on tickets having got a deal for two children and two adults. 

'The actual experience took two minutes to walk though because there was nothing there. When we arrived so many people had complained that they shut it down.

'You couldn't even call it an event - it was terrible.

'The guy was saying 'just have a wee walk through and you'll get a refund'.'

One girl dressed in an Oompa Loompa outfit was 'bawling' and 'everyone was kicking off', Mrs Graham said, as organisers put out a 'bit of cardboard' which said the event had been cancelled. 

Pictures posted on Facebook by irate families showed a few posters pinned to a wall  with tables lined up resembling a school dinner hall. 

One table appears to be a 'refreshments' stand with a few clear plastic cups placed on top which are barely half full. 

While a glum-looking actor dressed as an Oompa Loompa appears to be conducting experiments in another snap. 

Eva Stewart, 19, of East Kilbride, told the BBC she saw children crying at the event which was scheduled to run on Saturday and Sunday.

Adverts on House of Illuminati's Facebook page in January described it as an experience where 'dreams become reality' and said there would be an 'enchanted garden', 'imagination lab', and a 'twilight tunnel'

A glum-looking actor dressed as an Oompa Loompa appears to be conducting experiments in another snap

The event was cancelled halfway through on Saturday as angered mothers, fathers and grandparents demanded refunds

Pictures posted on Facebook by irate families showed a few posters pinned to a wall with tables lined up resembling a school dinner hall

One parent wrote on social media: 'What an absolute shambles of an event. Took two minutes to get through to then see a queue of people surrounding the guy running it complaining'

'It was basically advertised as this big massive Willy Wonka experience with optical illusions and big chocolate fountains and sweets,' she said.

'But when we got there, it was practically an abandoned, empty warehouse, with hardly anything in it.'

One parent wrote on social media: 'What an absolute shambles of an event.

'Took two minutes to get through to then see a queue of people surrounding the guy running it complaining.

'The kids received 2 jelly babies and a quarter of a can of barrs limeade.

'Wouldn't recommend this company for anything, event has now been shut down and cancelled for today very professional.

'Never seen anything like it was defiantly an 'experience'.'

A Facebook page has been set up by people left disappointed by the experience. 

One person claiming to be an actor posted a script into the group they say they had been told to learn in the months leading up to the event, only to claim they were told to abandon it and improvise. 

Adverts posted by organisers in January described it as an experience where 'dreams become reality' and said there would be an 'enchanted garden', 'imagination lab', and a 'twilight tunnel'.  

House of Illuminati was only set up in November 2023, according to documents on Companies House, and lists Billy Coull as a director. 

House of Illuminati vowed to give people their money back and posted an image on its Facebook page suggesting 850 people had been refunded. 

The company said it had been 'let down in many areas of our event and tried our best to continue'.

The company said it had been 'let down in many areas of our event and tried our best to continue'

Just 24 hours before 'Willy's Chocolate Experience' on Saturday at the Boxhub, organisers House of Illuminati posted pictures of a van full of props and said 'it's all coming together nicely'

In a statement on its Facebook page, they said: 'Today has been a very stressful and frustrating day for many and for that we are truly sorry. 

'Unfortunately last minute we were let down in many areas of our event and tried our best to continue on and push through and now realise we probably should havd cancelled first thing this morning instead. 

'We fully apologise for what has happened and will be giving full refunds to each and every person that purchased tickets. 

'We planned a fabulous event and it just did not take shape as planned and for that we are truly sorry we are devastated at how this has turned out and understand people's anger and frustration that everyone has had, refunds have already started being issued and the rest should be over the coming days, again we are truely [sic] sorry to everyone.'

They said refunds would take about 10 working days. 

Did YOU attend the event? Email [email protected]