Brit tourist, 25, suffers KIDNEY FAILURE on Thomas Cook Turkey break after suffering severe tummy bug
He and his partner both came down with an illness during their break and claim others at the hotel did too
A BRITISH holidaymaker was left in a Turkish hospital bed suffering with KIDNEY FAILURE after he contracted a severe tummy bug during a five star getaway.
James Lewis had booked the break at the Liberty Hotels Lykia, through tour operator Thomas Cook.
But halfway through the holiday earlier this month James and his partner, from Stafford, both began to suffer with severe gastric illness symptoms, including diarrhoea, vomiting and stomach cramps.
The 25-year-old's symptoms continued for two days and, despite being treated by a doctor at the hotel, he collapsed in the bathroom of their room.
Another doctor was called and he was given an IV drip to replace the fluids he had lost due his severe symptoms.
His health failed to improve and James appeared to be drifting in and out of consciousness so an ambulance was called to rush him to a local hospital, where doctors explained his kidneys were beginning to fail due to severe dehydration and he was diagnosed with a fractured rib caused by an injury sustained from when he collapsed.
James, a gas engineer, spent a night in hospital before he was discharged and was then able to fly back home to the UK, where his symptoms continue to affect him.
James, who spent £1,000 on the break, told his legal team of a number of concerns they had about hygiene practices at the hotel, including some of the food which appeared to be under-cooked, some food being left uncovered for long periods of time, and some of the food being exposed to insects.
James said: "The illness I suffered on holiday is still having a serious impact on me.
"It wasn't just us who were suffering, we could see other people around the hotel struggling. We want to know what caused the illness and make sure these issues are investigated."
Jennifer Downing, an expert international personal injury lawyer at national law firm Irwin Mitchell, representing James, said: "The severe illness... James suffered is concerning and shows just how serious gastric illness can be and the long-term impact it can have on those affected.
"Perhaps, more worrying, is that they have told us they were not the only ones affected by illness in the time they stayed at the resort and that other people were suffering similar symptoms.
"We have now launched our own investigation into the problems James (and his partner) suffered at the Liberty Hotels Lykia. We would urge anyone else impacted by illness at the hotel in 2016 to contact us and help with our investigation."
Responding to the accusations, a spokesman for Thomas Cook said: "We know how important holidays are and we work hard to make sure that our customers enjoy their time away. We are always concerned to hear of any reports of illness, and we will investigate thoroughly."
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