We’re sick of Turkey

Tourists set to take action over holiday bug

AN OLDHAM tourist is one of more than 400 people set to take action over an outbreak of gastric illness at a Turkish hotel.

Guests at the Holiday Village Hotel, in Sarigerme, were taken ill last summer with severe diarrhoea, stomach cramps and abdominal pain. Salmonella food poisoning was confirmed in some of the cases

It was the fourth outbreak at the hotel in four years according to travel law specialists Irwin Mitchell. Clive Garner, head of the travel law team, said: “How so many guests were exposed to the risk of illness and actually became ill at this hotel is a matter of very serious concern for us and our clients.

“First Choice has instructed solicitors to act for them and it is in everyone’s interests to reach a satisfactory conclusion as soon as possible.

“Failing this, formal legal proceedings will start against First Choice.”

In September, the Oldham Evening Chronicle featured Lionel Kemp (40) and partner Kathryn Healey (37) who were struck down with suspected salmonella during a two-week break at the Holiday Village. They are not involved in the proposed legal action.

A spokeswoman for First Choice said: “Aside from confirming that initial findings at the time confirmed the low level of sickness to be due to an airborne virus, the ongoing legal action prohibits any further comment regarding these cases. First Choice closely monitors all the hotels to which it operates to ensure that the health, safety, hygiene and comfort levels our customers expect are maintained.”