SUN, sea, sand ... stress. A holiday hardly seems a time for worry, but there is always something that could go wrong.

The kids get sick, your plane is overbooked or the local constabulary didn't find your drunken stunt very funny - a holiday can bring plenty of upset.

Writer JONATHAN RENNIE asked the experts the "what if....?" questions and finds out what you should do if the rainclouds blot out the sunshine. IF YOU LOSE YOUR PASSPORT

YOUR first port of call is the nearest police station, then the nearest British Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

You can get details of your local FCO when you are abroad by calling 0044 20 7008 1500.

They will give you the relevant forms to fill in, and crucially will issue you with replacement travel documents so you can travel back to the UK.

And just one other wee thing before you head off - check to see if your passport expires within 12 months of travel. Some countries require a passport to be valid for a certain length of time after you arrive. IF YOUR WALLET IS STOLEN

ACCORDING to the Foreign Office, the first thing to do is make a list of the items stolen.

Tell the local police as soon as possible and insist on a police report as it is needed for any insurance claim.

Cancel your credit cards and travellers cheques immediately and re-book your travel tickets.

If all of your money has been taken, the British Embassy or local consulate may be able to give you a loan - but this happens only in extreme circumstances.

Emergency services can be contacted anywhere in the EU by calling 112.

Also, in certain countries, the crime will have to be reported over there before police in Britain can get involved.

If you have had luggage lost, stolen or damaged during your journey, you should consider making a claim against the travel company. IF YOU ARE ARRESTED

DIFFERENT countries have different laws and ways of handling crime.

The hardest thing, especially if you do not know the language, is finding out exactly what you are being arrested for.

The important thing is to remain calm. Without the language, frantically gesturing could make you appear hostile and aggressive.

If you are detained or taken to a police station, get the holding officers to contact the British Consul. While they may refuse to contact other people on your behalf, they cannot refuse this request.

The consul can then find out what you are being arrested for and put you in contact with an interpreter and a lawyer.

Until you have a lawyer or a member of the consul with you, do not sign anything that you do not understand. IF YOUR ROOM ISN'T WHAT IT SHOULD BE

THERE are differences in law between holidays and package holidays.

If your holiday was not as you expected because of poor accommodation, facilities or the resort was not what you were led to expect, the Citizens Advice Bureau suggest that you will be able to claim compensation.

However, if the holiday was not as you expected because it was different to publicity material you had seen or to an advertisement, you may be unable to claim compensation.

This is because publicity material and advertisements do not form part of the contract you made when you booked.

However, descriptions of holidays must be full and accurate. If the description of your holiday was not an accurate one you should complain to Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06.

If your package holiday is significantly different to the one you were expecting, your tour operator must make efforts to put things right as soon as possible.

This could include, for example, offering you alternative accommodation where this is possible.

If the tour operator does not make efforts to put things right as soon as possible you may be able to claim compensation. IF YOU FALL SICK

A CUT foot on the beach, a touch of upset stomach from the food or just being plain unlucky, getting ill on holiday does happen. And the costs can be eye watering.

According to medical insurers First Assist, getting an air ambulance from the east coast of the USA could cost from £30 to £35,000. Even two days in a hotel ward in the Med will cost £600.

The first and most obvious thing to do is sort out travel insurance and if you are travelling in Europe, get a free European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) by visiting www.ehic.org.uk or calling 0845 606 2030. This entitles you to free medical treatment.

If you have an existing illness and are taking prescribed medication take the prescription and a doctor's letter with you.

This will save you a lot of hassle. IF YOU ARE CAUGHT BRINGING TOO MUCH THROUGH CUSTOMS

IF YOU are travelling from outside of the EU, then there is very little room to manoeuvre.

A litre of spirits and 200 cigarettes is the standard. If you are stopped the options to keep you on the right side of the law are pay the VAT and customs duty and keep your goods, or to just leave them at the desk.

If you are travelling within the EU the issue is slightly woolier.

No additional VAT or Customs duty will be payable on entry into the UK, and there is no limit to the amount of excise goods you can bring into the UK, provided these are carried by you and are for your own use, which includes gifts.

If you bring in goods for resale, or for any payment, even payment in kind, they are regarded as being for a commercial purpose.

The rough upper limits are 3200 cigarettes and 10 litres of spirits. Significantly above that and you might be asked to explain yourself and justify why you are carrying so much.

If you are unable or you refuse to provide a satisfactory explanation the officer may well conclude that those goods are for commercial purposes and not for your own use. There are limits to the amount of tobacco products you can bring back without paying duty from the following EU Member States: Estonia - 200 cigarettes or 250g of smoking tobacco.

Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia or Slovenia - 200 cigarettes. IF YOUR FLIGHT IS DELAYED

ACCORDING to insurance law firm Reynolds Porter Chamberlain, if your flight is cancelled or delayed, or if the airline tries to bump you from your flight, you may be entitled to compensation.

The compensation scheme applies to all charter flights, including those sold as part of a package holiday.

For cancellations the basic rule is that, if an airline cancels your flight, you will be entitled to a full refund of your fare.

If, however, the airline does not advise you of the cancellation more than two weeks before you are due to fly, and if they cannot offer you an alternative flight arriving no more than four hours after your original flight, you will also be entitled to receive compensation.

There is no statutory compensation for delays to flights, but the carrier cannot simply leave you sitting in the airport without looking after you.

The regulations set out a timetable for delays and, depending on the distance you are due to fly, and the length of the delay, you may be entitled to meals or accommodation. IF YOU ARE TRAPPED BY BAD WEATHER

IF the operator is still taking people to and from the destination then the decision not to travel rests with you, so no compensation needs to be paid.

As such, some operators will not cancel trips until the very last minute.

And unusual and unforeseeable circumstances beyond the control of the tour operator or service supplier, for example, a hurricane, is a grey area.

Your best bet is to find a travel insurance policy that covers every eventuality. IF YOU NEED TO CANCEL YOUR HOLIDAY AT THE LAST MINUTE

IF YOU cancel your holiday, for example, because of ill health or because you can no longer afford to go, you will usually lose your deposit or pay a cancellation charge.

This may be almost the full cost of the holiday. This is because you will have broken the terms of the contract you made with the holiday trader when you booked your holiday.

The contract will usually say whether a cancellation fee has to be paid. Check to see whether your holiday insurance covers the cost of cancellation.

If you have booked a package holiday, you can only cancel if it has changed significantly before departure.

If you can no longer go on your package holiday for reasons beyond your control, for example the death of a relative, you may be able to transfer your booking to someone else. HOLIDAY HOTLINES

British Foreign and Commonwealth Office. When abroad call: 0044 20 7008 1500.

FCO Travel Advice (offers the latest news on 200 countries across the world): 0845 850 2829.

Emergency services can be contacted anywhere in the EU by calling 112.

Consumer Direct Scotland: 08454 04 05 06.

European Health Insurance Card (EHIC): 0845 606 2030.

Association of British Travel Agents: 020 7637 2444.

Glasgow Airport: 0870 040 0008.