A DREAM holiday for a Sheffield family was ruined when all six of them were struck down with a gastric bug that left them confined to the bedroom for a week.
Vicky and Carl Knight and their 15-year-old son Nicholas planned the holiday with Vicky's brother John Booth, his wife Julie and their daughter Chloe, 17, to mark Vicky's birthday.
It was meant to be a luxury, five star break, staying in the Movenpick Hotel in the Egyptian resort of Taba – but the day before Vicky turned 47 the whole family was struck down with severe sickness, stomach pains and diarrhoea.
As a result they each remained in their hotel bedrooms for most of the second week of the £4,000 all-inclusive holiday – going downstairs only to fetch some dry bread and lemonade.
Now Vicky, Carl, John, both 48, and Julie, 47, all from Norton, are among nearly 30 British holidaymakers who launched legal action against their tour operator First Choice Holidays and Flights Limited claiming compensation for the "horrendous" ordeal.
Supermarket checkout worker Vicky said: "We were all really looking forward to the holiday – it was the first time we had all been away as a family with my brother and it was my birthday during the time we were there.
"The first week was fine, but then the day before my birthday we all started feeling ill. It was like nothing I've ever experienced before – it was horrendous."
Vicky claims problems could have been caused by topping up the buffet table before dishes had been emptied - meaning it was impossible to know how long some food had been there in very high temperatures.
She said the symptoms had even continued when she returned home to Sheffield – resulting in Nicholas being sent home from school on his first day back.
She said: "I still couldn't really eat any food – the smell was making me feel sick again. Then we discovered that my son had lost 9lbs while we were away. You go away on an all-inclusive break and expect to put on a stone – not lose weight!
"I can't put into words how disappointed we all feel. Our dream holiday was ruined and everything we had been looking forward to was a disaster."
Solicitor Francesca Sandiford, representing the family, said: "Unfortunately this is not an isolated incident – we are currently investigating claims for over 20 holidaymakers who stayed at the Movenpick Hotel in April and May this year.
"Tour Operators have a responsibility to ensure that all reasonable steps are taken to safeguard the health and welfare of their customers.
"Often simple hygiene measures can make all the difference in avoiding the transmission of illness, and the often long lasting symptoms and serious effects on the quality of life of illness victims."
A First Choice spokesman said: "First Choice is genuinely concerned to learn of any illness reported in our properties and we would like to reassure all our customers that their health and safety is of paramount importance.
First Choice closely audits all the hotels to which it operates to ensure the health, safety, hygiene and comfort levels our customers expect are maintained.
"First Choice can confirm that the legal department are investigating claims received regarding the Movenpick, Taba in Egypt and are therefore unable to comment further and will respond appropriately in due course.
"The Movenpick, Taba continues to be a very popular hotel among customers. We would like to assure customers due to travel to the Movenpick, Taba in the future that they will experience the high levels of quality and standards they expect from a First Choice property."
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