Legal battle over 'holiday from hell'

Phyllis Gilroy and Paddy Buckley, from Tranent, East Lothian, claim poor hygiene at a hotel in the Dominican Republic caused 18 sun-seekers to suffer a nasty stomach bug which blighted their stay.

The pair also say they were abandoned by their Thomson holiday rep when weather forecasts showed a category three hurricane, which can produce winds of up to 130mph, was on the way.

Former professional footballer Mr Buckley, 58, who travelled to the island at the beginning of September, said: "Thomson pulled their rep out of the hotel the night before the hurricane arrived - not telling us there was going to be a storm.

"The hurricane started at 1am on the Thursday and we were supposed to leave the following afternoon, but no-one from Thomson came to tell us we were not going to be able to go home.

"It was obvious that the plane wasn’t going to be able to take off, but still no-one told us. We were stuck there for three days."

He added: "During the storm the only help we got was from a boy in reception who didn’t really speak English, who told us that we had to stay in our rooms, but nothing else. Phyllis was very scared."

He added: "We had no electricity and were sent to our rooms for two days with only bread, jam and bottled water. They also gave us two candles and a toilet roll. It just wasn’t good enough."

And Mr Buckley, who booked the holiday as a relaxing break to recover from two major knee operations, says other tour operators chartered special planes to evacuate holidaymakers from the island before Hurricane Jeanne hit.

"Eventually, after a couple of days on our own and no word from Thomson, we insisted on seeing a rep and one, a manager, came a couple of hours later," said Mr Buckley.

Miss Gilroy, 36, who also fell ill while staying at the hotel, said: "The food served was disgusting. It was really unhygienic as there were birds and flies flying around the restaurant landing on the food.

"The food was always lukewarm and not very appetising and not what I expected from a luxury all-inclusive holiday. Thomson and the hotel really let us down."

Mr Buckley, who played for Sheffield United and Wolves, added: "It wouldn’t have been so bad if it was just the two of us who fell ill, but everyone else had it as well, with exactly the same symptoms, so there was obviously something wrong."

He said nine other couples, including a pair from Peterhead, were affected and had joined together to take legal action.

Suki Chhokar, of law firm Irwin Mitchell, representing Miss Gilroy and Mr Buckley, said:

"The failures at the hotel have caused people to suffer unnecessary illness and I am expecting inquiries from others who suffered illness and who also wish to pursue claims for compensation.

"Every year I act for many holidaymakers who have suffered illness as a result of the poor standards of hygiene at hotels abroad.

"Unfortunately, many go on to suffer long-term effects as a result of the failures by hotels or tour operators to comply with basic health and hygiene practices which could be implemented with minimal expense."

A spokeswoman for Thomson said today she could not comment on the case as it was in the hands of the firm’s lawyers.