Family scraped for five years for dream sunshine holiday… only to be robbed and battle severe illness
A gang of three men are thought to have broken into their holiday apartment
A FAMILY scrimped and scraped for five years saving for their dream sunshine holiday – only to end up being robbed and battling severe illness.
Lisa Hunter, 32, and her hubby whisked her four children away on their first-ever break abroad during May’s half-term break.
However their £5,000 all-inclusive trip quickly turned into a nightmare when just four days into the holiday their apartment was ransacked.
A gang of three men are thought to have broken into their holiday apartment at the four-star Club Playa Blanca, Lanzarote, before making off with £1,200 in cash, jewellery and electronics.
But she claims when she alerted hotel staff and police she was told they could do nothing about it.
Full-time mum Lisa, of Ibstock, Leics, told Sun Online: “This was supposed to a dream family holiday but instead it was a nightmare from the moment we touched down.
“First we were robbed and then we didn’t have the money to pay for a doctor.
“I have never been through anything so traumatic in my life. It was absolutely horrendous."
Lisa added: “We were staying in two bungalows in the resort and as my husband and eldest son went crab fishing I went back to one of the apartments with my other children.
“My daughter opened the door and just began screaming blue murder and I realised the whole room had been turned upside down.
“I just grabbed my kids and ran into the other apartment.
“I screamed and rang reception telling them we’ve been burgled. It took around 15 minutes before someone showed up, and even then it was only the maintenance man.
“When police arrived about one and a half hours later they didn’t do anything to investigate, not even fingerprint samples that were on the windows, and just asked if we had insurance.
“It was a joke. And then to cap it off the hotel gave us a bottle of champagne and six glasses as an apology.
“The last thing I want to do be doing is cracking open a bottle of fizz after being robbed – with my children who are aged three to 12.”
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They booked the 11-day stay on the Canary Island resort with Thomas Cook and whisked off Jack, 12, Holly, ten, Scarlott, six and Max, three.
After the night-time break in, their holiday went from bad to worse as all six members of the family were bedridden with illness hours later.
They were suffering from severe vomiting and diarrhoea and were unable to leave their room.
Lisa added: “I don’t know whether it was the hotel food or the hotel pool as both were disgusting.
“We were served under cooked chicken, saw cats eating out of ovens and never once witnessed the pool being cleaned.
“This hotel must be avoided at all costs. Thomas Cook have really let us down.”
Lisa claims she contacted the travel giants but was only offered £400 in compensation.
She is now pursuing damages through solicitors and is warning other families from staying at the resort.
Anne Thomson, of Farnworth Rose solicitors Your Holiday Claims team, said: “I find it appalling that a family who saved hard for five years to take their children on their first holiday have suffered so severely through both illness and crime.
"I can only imagine how devastating it must have been to see your dream family holiday descend into a real-life nightmare."
A Thomas Cook spokesman said: “Nothing is more important to us than the safety and well-being of our customers, and we are always concerned to hear of any sickness or incidents reported while on holiday.
"We are in discussions with Mr and Mrs Hunter’s solicitors on their claim for sickness.
"Where appropriate, we will of course work with our hotel partner to make sure all of our customers experience the high standards that they rightly expect from a Thomas Cook holiday.”
Club Playa Blanca have also been contacted for a response.
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