Mum’s leg horror on hol waterslide

Woman’s battle to shut hotel chute

A MUM was left with gaping wounds and nearly lost her left leg after a horror smash on a slide at her hotel’s waterpark.

Helen Priestley, 42, hit her leg on a chute in Spain, and later contracted a flesh-eating bug.

Doctors at home told her family to prepare for the worst as they fought to save the limb.

She is taking legal action to shut the “death trap” slide, adding: “It’s only a matter of time before an adult or child is seriously injured.”

Helen was on the White Tornado chute at Magic Tropical Splash resort in Benidorm last year. She said: “The current slammed me into the exit opening. I was in agony. I heard later someone broke their leg on it an hour earlier.”

Helen, of Rochdale, Gtr Manchester, was taken to hospital. But six weeks after getting home, she was diagnosed with necrotising fasciitis and needed two emergency ops. She said: “Doctors said I might lose my leg, and told my husband and daughter I could die.”

Helen claims travel operator Jet2 Holidays refused to shut the slide. The hotel said: “All attractions comply with European standard 1069/1.” Paul Stevens, travel lawyer at Simpson Millar, said operators have a duty to check hotel facilities are safe.

He said: “Waterslides shouldn’t have design features that prove an obstacle. If people are getting injured, something is wrong and it should be shut.”

Jet2 said: “The health and safety of our customers is extremely important to us, we are exploring Helen’s claim fully.”

Helen was hurt on the Tornado SCARRED Helen now and, inset, the wounds