A judge who flew to Malta to investigate compensation claims against a hotel has rejected holidaymakers' allegations that it was dirty and infested with cockroaches, it emerged yesterday.

Judge Anthony Cleary, who made legal history when he jetted out to visit the Mediterranean island last month, ruled that three families who complained against holiday firm Malta Sun had been ''provided with a bargain''.

In a judgment read to a private hearing of Birmingham County Court and released through the Lord Chancellor's Department, the judge awarded two of the families damages totalling #954.75 for flight delays, a leaking bath, petrol money and a missing light bulb.

However Judge Cleary, who made a 24-hour site visit to Malta's Palm Court Hotel, said the three families made ''unsupportable allegations'' against holiday firm Malta Sun.

The judge said claims from two of the three families, who travelled to Malta in 1996, that the hotel smelt of sewage, possessed a ''murky'' pool and had cockroaches in bedrooms and dining rooms, were ''jaundiced'' after the travel delays.

District Judge Cleary also rejected claims that the hotel smelled of burned toast as ''particularly trivial''. Complaints of ''cold toast'' had left him mystified as toast was made by guests themselves, he added.

The judge ordered that Malta Sun pay the three-strong Bannister family, of Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, #132.75 for a 14-hour flight delay, #30 for the lack of en suite facilities and a further #27 compensation.

The five-strong Osborne family, of Saffron Walden, Essex, were awarded #705 for delayed outward and homeward flights, #35 for petrol and #5 each because they had no light in their room when they arrived in the resort of Qawra.

The judge, who threw out compensation claims from Mr and Mrs Bly, of Bury, near Manchester, said: ''The expectations of all three families outstripped any reasonable requirement that the hotel could meet.''

After the hearing Malta Sun Holidays' operations manager Mike Smith said only #55 of the damages related to problems at the Palm Court. Mr Smith said: ''Obviously we feel we have been justified in attending court and we are satisfied with the outcome. The judge saw the reality of the hotel for himself and made up his own mind about what he saw.''

The holiday company paid for the judge's trip to Malta.