Credit: @theradfordfamily/Instagram
Couple With 22 Children Taken To Court Over $70,000 Disney Holiday
Britain’s biggest family is facing legal trouble after a lavish $70,000 trip to Disney World.
Noel and Sue Radford, who are parents to 22 children, are best known from the Channel 5 reality series 22 Kids and Counting.
The couple, from Morecambe in Lancashire, has spent more than 30 years growing their family. Sue was just 14 when she welcomed their first child, Christopher, while Noel was 18. The pair married three years later and went on to have a huge family together.
In addition to their 22 children, the Radfords are also grandparents to 11 grandchildren. Sadly, they also experienced heartbreak after losing one of their children, Alfie, who was stillborn.
A lavish Disney celebration for Sue’s milestone birthday
The family recently made headlines after taking an extravagant vacation to Disney World in Florida to celebrate Sue’s 50th birthday in April 2025.
Reports suggest the enormous getaway cost around $70,000 in total.
The Radfords fund their lifestyle through their family business, Radford’s Pie Company, which they bought in 1999, as well as earnings from television work and social media deals.
Even though the family admitted they were ‘feeling the pinch’ financially last year, they still went all out for Sue’s birthday celebrations on March 22, 2025. Sue jokingly described the occasion as being ’49 plus one,’ according to the Mirror.
The huge trip included flights, hotels, and Disney park tickets for many members of the family, including their children and grandchildren. It’s believed they spent around $35,245 on flights alone.
Family vacation hit with travel chaos and criticism
During the trip, the Radfords regularly shared updates online, posting photos from inside the parks. One image showed the family posing alongside Donald Duck, while another featured Sue wearing Minnie Mouse ears and holding an oversized drink.
But the dream vacation didn’t go entirely to plan.
Millie Radford, 24, and her two children were reportedly left stranded at the airport after discovering their ESTA travel authorizations had expired.
Noel stayed behind to help them sort out new paperwork before they eventually joined the rest of the family in Florida the next day.
Some followers also pointed out that Chloe, 29, did not attend the vacation. She was heavily pregnant at the time and preparing to welcome her second child.
Only a few weeks after returning from the birthday trip, the family was reportedly seen traveling back to Florida again for another vacation in June.
The legal consequences behind the Disney getaway
The expensive Disney trip ultimately led to legal trouble for Noel and Sue, who were forced to appear before Preston Magistrates Court after being accused of failing to make sure four of their children attended school regularly between March 24 and May 1, 2025.
Both Noel and Sue were found guilty and ordered to pay fines of $88 per child, as well as $160 in court costs. Altogether, the penalties added another $1,024 to the cost of the Florida vacation.
A spokesperson for Lancashire County Council defended the decision to prosecute, stating (per UNILAD): “Ensuring young people receive a good education and have a good start in life is one of our key priorities. Evidence shows that attainment is linked to attendance, so supporting our schools with this issue is important.”
The spokesperson continued: “The decision to authorize absence or not rests with the headteacher of the particular school and Penalty Notices are an enforcement option that are available to local authorities, if requested by schools. It is the court that determines whether a fine should be issued.”
They added: “The laws on attendance are very clear and there are some legitimate reasons why pupils can’t always go to school.
“We always encourage schools to work closely with parents to reduce unauthorized absences and our aim is to ensure that children and young people attend school and receive a good education.”
Under UK law, parents can face penalties or court action if they remove children from school during term time without permission, according to Gov.uk.
Government guidance states that family vacations are not normally considered exceptional circumstances, meaning parents are generally unable to take children out of school during the academic term without authorization.
Schools and local authorities can issue fines or pursue legal action if absences are considered unjustified.
Parents may initially be fined up to $107 per child, rising to $215 if the amount remains unpaid after 21 days.
Rules introduced for the 2024-2025 school year also allow each parent to receive up to two fines per child within a three-year period, with unpaid fines potentially leading to court proceedings.
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