Group invites stranger Joe McGrath on holiday after friend with same name drops out

Joe McGrath (centre) enjoyed a three night holiday in Majorca with nine new friends. Photo / Twitter, Joe McGrath

When Joe McGrath pulled out of a holiday at the last minute, his resourceful friends decided not to let his ticket go to waste - so found a stranger on Facebook with the same name.

The group of 10 from Bristol dropped him a message asking him if he'd like to join them on the all-inclusive, paid for trip to Majorca for a 30th birthday.

And 26-year-old Joe McGrath from Manchester jumped at the chance - and said his trip with the complete strangers had "made his year".

So this happened pic.twitter.com/99MQXdZVyw

— These Joe’s aint loyal (@RadioJoeM) April 5, 2017

The group sent a message to Joe asking: "Hi Joe, would you consider coming on a holiday with a group of nine strangers if they had already arranged flights for you and an all inclusive hotel?

"It's our friend Nathan's 30th birthday and we decided to thrown him a surprise holiday break in Mallorca.

"Unfortunately our friend Joe McGrath can't attend, but we have already booked it all up for him."

Joe, who works for a radio station in Manchester, initially doubted the offer and wondered if it was legitimate - then thought he'd go for it.

He met them for the first time at Bristol airport on Saturday before taking off on a three-day break.

The 26-year-old posted this picture on Twitter ahead of the three day break with the caption, 'Innocent me before take off'.

Posting a picture of him, Lucy Benchova added: "When your friend can't make it on holiday so you troll the internet to find someone with the same name.

"Here is the new Joe McGrath from Manchester coming on holiday with ten strangers! Haha doesn't know what he's let himself in for!"

After returning from the holiday, Joe said he hadn't slept in four days and had made himself new best mates.

He wrote: "MAD STORY: So a guy called Dan (who I have never met before) messaged me out of the blue to tell me that his friend 'Joe McGrath' couldn't go away on a trip that they had already booked, Dan asked If I could take his place.

"Although I had my doubt if the offer was legit, I decided to take the plunge as my legendary boss gave me the time off work.

pic.twitter.com/2siIDzXBBv

— These Joe’s aint loyal (@RadioJoeM) April 6, 2017

"I drove down to Bristol on Saturday night and had a mad three days with complete strangers that I think I can all my good friends.

"What a mega group of people! I loved every minute of it. I want to apologise to my mum who thought I knew these people all along."

Joe's tweet about the Facebook invite and holiday has amassed more than 3,000 retweets and 12,000 likes and was retweeted by his friend, Coronation Street actress Brooke Vincent.

The 24-year-old wrote: "Shut up! Never! You're my new claim to fame Joe McGrath!"