FAMILY FEARED FOR GIRL’S LIFE AFTER HOLIDAY BUGSCARE
Lucy McLean, 8, contracted salmonella while on holiday in Lanzarote
A DAD has told how he feared for his eight-yearold daughter’s life after she contracted deadly salmonella on a sunshine family break.
Colin McLean’s eight-yearold daughter Lucy fell ill on the second day of their holiday in Lanzarote, suffering from severe vomiting and diarrhoea.
Colin, 48, who also fell ill, and his partner Susan Rudd, 48, had to call the doctor three times and spent the entire week in their hotel in the Costa Teguise resort, on the east coast of the Spanish resort.
The little girl was still poorly a week after they returned from their all inclusive holiday in June, last year, which was organised by First Choice, part of the Thomson group.
The family say GP tests confirmed Lucy had contracted salmonella. Both Colin and his daughter ate eggs and chicken at the hotel.
They have now consulted lawyers, saying First Choice has not responded to their complaint.
Colin, who works in insurance, said: “It happened a couple of days into our holiday.
“She was vomiting to begin with and then the diarrhoea started.
“We called out the doctor and he thought it was gastroenteritis and told us to keep giving her fluids. We had to call him out a further three times.
“I was quite worried because she was losing a lot of weight and was really dehy- drated. On the plane home, she was going to the toilet about 10 times every hour.
“We spent the rest of the holiday in the hotel. I was ill as well.
“My partner didn’t get ill but she wasn’t going to go downstairs for dinner on her own.
“We didn’t think we would get the insurance to go home so we stayed in the hotel.
“Lucy was ill for about another week when we got home. We took her to the GP and he did tests which confirmed she had salmonella.
“I think I probably had it too but I was better and I didn’t get tested.
“We both had chicken and eggs for breakfast but it’s impossible to pin it down to one thing.”
“It was meant to be a nice relaxing family break, so I was completely devastated that I was not able to enjoy the time with Susan and Lucy.”
Colin said he repeatedly called the company to complain but the company has not responded.
Jennifer Downing, of law- yers Irwin Mitchell,who are representing the family, said: “We are hugely concerned by the problems that our client has faced and following our instruction we have started to make inquiries into the circumstances surrounding their illness.
“Colin’s and his daughter Lucy experiences are a very important reminder of the huge impact that gastric illnesses like salmonella can have on victims.
“Our clients clearly deserves answers regarding everything that they have faced and we are determined to do everything we can to help him.”
A spokswoman for Thomson said: “We’re sorry to hear of the customers experience.
“As we understand this matter is now subject to legal proceedings it would be inappropriate to comment at this time.
“We’d like to reassure customers that we regularly audit all of the hotels we feature in respect of health and safety, i ncluding hygiene.”