Some Holidaymakers Still Suffering From Symptoms After “Ruined” Holiday

Several holidaymakers have instructed specialist International Personal Injury lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate after they suffered gastric illness during a stay at the Hotel Oasis Park in Spain.

A large number of people have complained of feeling unwell while on holiday at the resort in Salou, with some even reporting that symptoms are continuing on their return home. Among those affected were a family from Coleraine in Northern Ireland and members of a football club from Leyland, some of whom have now instructed lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate how they fell ill.

Expert Opinion

“Several holidaymakers have asked us to investigate what caused their illness at the Oasis Park in Salou.

We’ve heard reports from our clients that their illness may have been part of a wider illness problem as several other guests were also known to be ill.

Sadly, our clients have not got their Summer off to the best start as their well-earned holidays have been hit hard by gastric illness which has continued to affect them on their return home.”
Clare Pearson - Legal Executive & Associate

Coleraine, Northern Ireland

Greg Joyce went on holiday to the resort in Salou with his wife and two children on 28 May.  A few days into the trip his six-year-old daughter Megan became unwell with sickness and diarrhoea, stomach cramps, lethargy and tiredness, leg pain, fever and shaking. By the end of the following day, Megan’s four-year-old brother Dylan was also suffering from the same symptoms, and Greg also began to feel unwell himself with similar gastric illness.

The family, from Coleraine in Northern Ireland, travelled to the Hotel Oasis Park with tour operator Jet2holidays.  They complained to their tour operator regularly throughout the holiday about the quality of the accommodation and the illness. A doctor was called to the room and Dylan had to have an injection. The family were so disappointed with their holiday they returned home early.

Upon their return to the UK on 4 June, Greg, Megan and Dylan were still feeling unwell and went to see their own GP.

In addition to their illness, Greg told Irwin Mitchell that the balcony on their room was not safe when they arrived and had to be fixed, and the door handle on the shower was also corroded.

Civil Service worker Greg, 37, said: “We had been saving up for so long for this holiday and the kids were really looking forward to it.  But it was just a disaster.

“It was bad enough me being unwell, but to have to see my children go through it too was awful. My wife and I spoke to lots of other people at the hotel who were also complaining of similar symptoms.

“I remember the food at the buffet wasn’t always very hot and the cutlery and crockery were not always clean.  We did swim in the pool while we were there and noticed that it was taped off on the last day but didn’t know why.  We never saw it being cleaned or tested though.

“Our holiday was totally ruined and we are still poorly now.  Dylan has had to have time off nursery and he is still not himself.  It’s only fair that we get answers as to how this happened to us.”

Leyland

Members of Leyland Albion Football Club stayed at the Hotel Oasis Park in Salou as part of a football tournament they attended in Spain.

The holiday was booked through Absolute Travel and Tours and was funded by the club for the members attending, with most of the players there aged around 12- years-old, however there were also a number of parents who went along and paid for themselves.

Among those unwell was nine-year-old Harry Newbury, the son of club secretary Helen Newbury, as well as football coach Neil Matthews and his wife Joanne.

The club arrived in Spain on 23 May, with Harry starting to display symptoms a number of days after arrival including vomiting and stomach cramps. He was so poorly he missed out on one day of football.

Coach Neil, 41, and his wife Joanne, 42, both began vomiting and having diarrhoea after arriving in Spain, and both are still suffering from loose stools and a lack of appetite.

Neil and Joanne told Irwin Mitchell that they had reported their illness to hotel reception but felt that it was not being taken seriously.  They suspected that food was undercooked after being asked if they wanted their chicken cooked medium or well done, and also noticed the crockery was dirty. They noticed that some of the food was uncovered and appeared to have been left out for some time.

The pair said the pool area was littered, and the toilets around the poolside were not very clean.

Neil said: “We flew out to Salou as part of a large party to enjoy a football tournament, and instead we were very unwell and miserable.

“The football club spent three years fund-raising for this trip and it was completely ruined for some of us.

“Now we are back home, we are still not feeling one hundred percent and really need answers as to why this happened and whether or not it could have been stopped from happening.”

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