Holidaymaker died after drinking from poisoned bottle in hotel
A British holidaymaker died in Cyprus after she drank from a bottle filled with cleaning fluid that a maid had accidentally left in her hotel bedroom, an inquest was told.
Sixty-year old Gloria Smith was staying at the Salamis Bay Conti Resort Hotel in Famagusta, Northern Cyprus, when she took a sip from what she thought was a bottle of mineral water. She later collapsed in the bathroom and died of a heart-attack while being transferred to a specialist hospital unit.
It was later discovered that the hotel maid had accidentally left the bottle, filled with toxic stain remover, in the bedroom. She was arrested but released without charge when it became clear she had made a mistake.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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