First Choice ordered to compensate clients for faeces in pool
First Choice has been ordered to pay £1.7million to holidaymakers after they fell ill at a Turkish resort that had faeces in the pool.
The four-star Holiday Village complex in Sarigerme was inundated with complaints after nearly 600 holidaymakers fell ill in 2009.
Tourists complained about dirty toilets and cutlery, a lack of hot water, uncovered and reheated food and floating faeces in the pool.
In total 160 children and 435 adults fell ill with chronic gastric bugs after staying at the resort in southern Turkey.
Holidaymakers were struck down by a range of conditions including Salmonella, Cryptosporidium, Campylobacter and E-Coli.
Deputy Senior Master Leslie sitting in the High Court in London ordered First Choice Holidays and Flights to pay the families involved up to £25,000 compensation each.
Suki Chhokar, from law firm Irwin Mitchell, said: "Many of our clients suffered illnesses that continued after they returned home and some have still not made a complete recovery more than four years after their original illness commenced.
"Holidaymakers have a right to expect all reasonable steps will be taken to protect their health abroad in hotels or on cruise ships.
"Our clients in this case have proven failure to do so will not be tolerated and, if necessary, holidaymakers will turn to the courts to secure justice."
A spokesman for First Choice said the tour operator doesn’t comment on settlements.
Diane
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