Holiday Nightmares

A TEENAGE boy was banned from boarding his flight because of a sticker on his passport.

Thirteen-year-old Alix Dawson was due to fly to Thailand with his family last month for two weeks.

However, after arriving at Edinburgh Airport, his mum Meghan Law was told that he wouldn’t be allowed to board the flight with his passport at the check in desk.

Meghan, who lives in Aberdeen said: “We got to the airport and were checking in my bags when the [check-in staff member] looked at my passport then just walked away from the desk. She didn’t say anything.

“We were standing there for 20 minutes before I asked what’s going on. She came back and said that my passport was damaged.

“I said I’ve used this umpteen times. No one’s ever mentioned any damage on it before.

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“There were no rips or stains, I don’t know what she was trying to imply. I was really shocked.

“What they were trying to say was that the luggage check-in stickers that had been stuck on one of the pages [and] had damaged the page. But it wasn’t even on the photo page.

“There were no rips, it was just where the sticker marks had been. They said we couldn’t travel with it.

“I knew there were no issues with their passports. We’d probably travelled over a dozen times with them.”

She was then told that they would need to go to Glasgow Airport to get a new emergency passport.

Fearing for their £3,000 holiday, she contacted TUI, who they booked the trip with.

After sending photos of the reported ‘damage’, Meghan said the tour operator found no issues with the passport and put them on the next available flight to Thailand which was with Emirates rather than Qatar Airways.

The family were able to head on holiday with no further obstacles, albeit the next day, from a different airport.

Meghan said: “If I hadn’t booked through TUI and booked it myself, we just wouldn’t have been able to go on holiday.

“One way from Glasgow on the same day of travel would’ve been £2,800.

“We used it six times over the two-week holiday and no one said anything which confirms there were no issues with the passports.”

She said that it “ruined the start of the trip” for being so stressful and is calling for compensation.

Other passengers have been banned from their flights due to them being too damaged.

Countries such as Bali and Vietnam have some of the strictest rules in the world when it comes to passport condition, with airlines fined thousands if they let passengers fly with them.

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HOLIDAY booze cruises promise a carefree escape with sun, sea and endless partying – but beneath the decks and pounding music lies a darker reality.

For Nakita Colville, a pirate-themed boat trip in Turkey turned to tragedy when her father, Peter, suddenly died while swimming – but instead of rushing back to shore, staff told his shell-shocked daughter, “he’s dead, he’s gone”, covered his body with a towel, and told guests they would go ahead with a planned foam party.

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In her first exclusive interview since her father’s heartbreaking death just nine weeks ago, on July 27, she told The Sun how “unbothered and clueless” staff on board just stood there watching as her dad died in front of his children and grandchildren.

She also warned that this wouldn’t be the last tragedy at sea onboard unregulated party boats with shoddy safety standards.

She tells The Sun: “I don’t think people are aware of how dangerous it can be until something like this happens to your family.

“Unless things change, I don’t think this will be the last death.”

Despite thousands of tourists signing up for boat parties and trips every year, what was once a thrill-filled novelty is now a high-risk activity, where the line between fun and danger is perilously thin. 

And the risks are compounded once you step outside UK waters, where regulations can be patchy and enforcement inconsistent – and lax safety measures, unlimited drink offers, and drugs circulating on board create a perfect storm.

On one booze-filled stag-do party cruise in Lisbon, laddish “banter” led to the tragic death of city worker Nishanthan Gnanathas.

Thrown from a yacht into the River Tagus in November 2019, Nish – best man and beloved friend – hit his head on a balustrade before crashing into the icy water. 

The coroner’s conclusion was stark – what happened was “horseplay that went tragically wrong”.

Dr Fiona Wilcox recorded a conclusion of misadventure, saying: “This was an absolutely tragic accident that could not have been reasonably anticipated.”

Maritime police chief Malaquais Dominguez said “it was a stupid joke between friends”.

“He was pushed and he went overboard. He disappeared in the water. I have no doubt they will live with this terrible moment for the rest of their lives,” Dominguez said. 

The story echoes the growing unease around stag and party-boat culture abroad – where cheap alcohol, bravado, and ritualised pranks can lead to tragedy.

In Amsterdam, Neil Stewart’s fiancée arranged a surprise weekend in the Dutch capital – and told her it was “the happiest time of his life”.

But by the end of a night on a party boat, Stewart was dead, swallowed by the inky waters of the Noordzeekanaal after what witnesses believe began as a prank on board.

The Newcastle coroner’s inquest heard Stewart had taken cocaine and cannabis before boarding the boat for the Bounce Til I Die event. 

Post-mortem tests later confirmed both in his system, along with traces of cannabis from a “space cake” eaten earlier in a café.

A witness said she saw Stewart “deliberately jump” from the smoking deck and initially thought it was “a silly prank” – especially as he seemed to be laughing in the water before he drowned, and Stewart’s body was recovered two weeks later.

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‘Pirate ship’ tragedy

On July 27, grandfather Peter Colville, 60, from Woking, died on board a pirate-themed boat trip in Alanya, Turkey.

Daughter Nakita, 27, told how her father and nine other family members, including children, had boarded the boat.

The “luxury pirate ship” promised entertainment, DJs and a foam party, along with two swim stops for guests to go snorkelling.

The family paid over £200 for tickets to board the “luxurious six-deck yacht” – called Legend Big Kral – at an excursion centre.

Everyone was enjoying the music, blue seas and stunning views of the Mediterranean as the boat, carrying some 600 passengers according to Nakita, set sail.

Unless things change, I don’t think this will be the last death

Nakita Colville

Nakita, an admin assistant, said: “My dad is very safety-conscious, and I remember as we walked onto the boat, he said it was strange they didn’t seem to tick off names, hand out wristbands or get waivers signed.

“At that point, we just brushed it off – we never could have known what was to come.”

The first swim stop came and went, with most of Nakita’s family getting into the water, including property maintenance boss Peter – who was an avid snorkeller. 

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Nakita recalled feeling strange that only the children were given life jackets.

So, being a weaker swimmer, when the second swim stop came at Cleopatra Beach, she opted not to go back in.

But confident swimmer Peter, and Nakita’s brother-in-law, Ben Diamond, 35, were keen to get back in the water again.

The pair were happy snorkelling together one minute – and the next, Nakita heard screams of panic.

She says: “I looked into the water and saw my dad’s face, floating, and people scrambling to get him out of the water.

“My sister and I ran down – and she screamed, ‘Oh my God, he is going purple’.”

Nakita said guests dragged Peter, a dad-of-seven and grandfather-of-six, onto the deck, and one began administering CPR.

As Nakita’s family – along with countless other guests – crowded around, “screaming and horrified”, she claims “unbothered and clueless” staff on board “just stood there watching”.

She alleged staff on board repeated, “he’s dead, he’s gone” before a member of the team suggested covering Peter’s body with a towel – before the coastguard even arrived.

Nakita says: “There didn’t seem to be any system in place to deal with an emergency situation. There didn’t seem to be a plan.

“He was laid on the deck – and then nothing. No proper procedure, no clearing the deck of onlookers, no immediate CPR. They stood there with their arms crossed, clueless.

“Some seemed like they weren’t bothered, some of the younger staff members looked like they felt bad that they didn’t know what to do. 

“It didn’t feel like they were adequately first-aid trained. It was the guests giving my dad CPR.”

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She claims she asked staff if the boat carried a defibrillator and was told by a crew member that they didn’t have one as they “couldn’t keep it charged”.

She said: “I found that strange, as they had electricity for the DJ decks and foam machines.”

According to UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency advice, all ships should undertake a risk assessment, but “as a general guide, vessels in regular operation carrying in excess of 100 persons” should carry a defib.

But many holiday booze cruises operate in foreign ports with looser safety standards, overcrowded decks, and minimal oversight. 

Life jackets may be scarce, crew training is often insufficient, and emergency procedures can be a little more than a box-ticking exercise. 

Nakita said the event was so traumatising that her mother and Peter’s wife, Rosalind Colville, 53, collapsed from shock.

And Nakita says it was also guests on board helping Rosalind by bringing her water and getting her a chair – rather than staff.

I was told the remaining guests were told ‘sorry for the delay’ and they carried on with the party. Apparently it was disturbing – nobody else on board even wanted to party after what they had just witnessed

Nakita Colville

Nakita says: “My sister and I were just holding my dad’s hand, screaming.

“As far as we knew, or he knew, he was healthy – we have no idea what happened.

“He was smart – if he had been, or felt, unwell, he wouldn’t have got in the water.

“They had covered him with a towel before the coastguard even arrived.”

When they did finally arrive 40 minutes later, Peter was taken to hospital.

The family were asked whether they wished to remain on the boat for the rest of the trip, or get off and go to hospital with him.

The family – including two of his grandchildren – were taken off the boat, and at the hospital Peter was confirmed dead.

Nakita says she learned from other guests at their hotel, who were also on board the boat, that after her family left, the party continued.

She claims she learned the crew even hosted a foam party for the remaining traumatised passengers.

She said: “I was told the remaining guests were told ‘sorry for the delay’ and they carried on with the party.

“Apparently, it was disturbing – nobody else on board even wanted to party after what they had just witnessed.”

Nakita had to break the news by phone to her four brothers and their families back home.

Postmortems were conducted in Turkey and back in the UK when his body was brought home.

Nakita said neither could find a cause of death, so investigations are ongoing as the family tries to grieve the loss of their beloved father and grandfather.

One Tripadvisor review from the day of the tragedy read: “The way it was handled by the crew was nothing short of horrifying.

“It is unsafe, unprofessional, and the crew is neither trained nor emotionally capable of handling emergencies – or tragedies.”

There didn’t seem to be any system in place to deal with an emergency situation. There didn’t seem to be a plan

Nakita Colville

But Nakita fears tourists don’t realise the risks associated with excursions like this one.

She says: “With these trips, even if safety measures are in place, there are always risks.

“Thinking back, I don’t think there were enough crew members for the number of people on the boat, and to be able to watch all the people swimming in the water.

“We can’t say it was the company’s fault that he died, but maybe he could have been saved.”

Legend Big Kral did not respond to a request for a comment, but a representative did contact Nakita directly after her original story was shared. 

They claimed that all ten staff members were first aid trained. 

Nakita says the representative also claimed that Peter passed of a heart attack – a fact which has not been confirmed yet by two post-mortems. Coroners say it is still being investigated. 

For many Brits, holiday booze cruises start as a fantasy: sun, cheap drinks and a chance to let loose, far away from the office or family life. 

But increasingly, these trips are leaving more than just a hangover in their wake. 

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ACCIDENTS can always happen when you are travelling – but did you know there are secret codes for different emergency situations?

Whether travelling across the globe on a flight or setting sail on a cruise to the Med, staff have several codes for different situations that need to be addressed.

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Whilst many are to alert something less serious, there are some codes that signify something more horrifying is happening.

Here’s a run down of the codes you might hear at the airport or on planes, cruise ships and trains – and what they really mean.

Planes

For most passengers, their worst nightmare is hearing there is a problem whilst flying.

And by using codes, cabin crew often are able to communicate with each other without alerting passengers.

For example, ‘Code 300’ or ‘Angel’ means that a passenger has died on board the plane.

If this happens, passengers will hear ‘Angel’ being used by flight staff, where they will then communicate on what to do including potentially moving the body away from other passengers.

Another code, ‘Squawk 7500’ or ‘Hotel’ rather scarily signals a hijacking.

Pilots will send the transponder code ‘Squawk 7500’ to air traffic control to alert them that the plane is in danger without actually explaining the situation or alerting passengers.

However, passengers may hear ‘Hotel 7500’ to indicate the emergency.

If you hear ‘Pan-Pan’, then it means there is a serious, but non-life-threatening incident on board – this could be mechanical or medical.

There are codes for less serious situations too including ‘Code Yellow’ which alerts staff to a minor medical situation, such as a passenger feeling sick.

Similarly, if you hear ‘Mermaid’ there isn’t anything to worry about – flight crew just used the term to refer to a passenger who is spreading themselves out across more than one seat.

Airports

You won’t just hear codes on the plane, but you might also hear them being announced in the airport.

For example, ‘Code Adam’ means a child has gone missing and is announced to begin a search for the child, including securing exits in case of a potential child abduction.

According to The Telegraph, ‘Code Bravo‘ alerts a general security issue.

There are also a number of codes you might not necessarily hear at the airport, but are used behind the scenes to communicate different issues.

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For example, according to The International Air Transport Association (IATA), the code ‘DF’ means that the aircraft has experienced damage, due to incidents such as a bird strike or lightning.

Alternatively, the code ‘DG’ means that an aircraft has damage from ground operations, such as a collision.

Code ‘FS’ signifies there is a flight crew shortage and code ‘FC’ suggests there is a cabin crew shortage.

And code ‘FB’ means that the captain of a flight has requested a security check.

Cruise ships

According to The Telegraph, passengers won’t want to hear ‘Operation Rising Star’on a cruise ship, which means a passenger has passed away.

Alternatively, ‘Operation Bright Star’ or ‘Blue Star’, means there is a medical emergency onboard.

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‘Code Alpha’ can also mean there is a medical emergency onboard.

If someone has fallen overboard, you’ll hear ‘Code Oscar‘ and rather scarily, ‘Code Echo’ means the ship is at risk of colliding with another ship.

Alternatively, if you hear ‘Code Charlie’, there is a security threat on the ship.

There are some less serious codes as well that you could hear including ‘PVI’, which stands for ‘public vomiting incident’.

And ‘Code Zulu’ flags that a fight has broken out onboard.

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Trains

For commuters or people heading to different destinations in the UK on the train, you could also hear some secret codes.

For example, you might hear someone asking for ‘Inspector Sands’ which means there is a fire.

Depending where you are, the code you hear for fire could also be ‘Mr Sands’.

Different numbered codes between one and seven are also used to signify different cleaning tasks that are needed including blood, urine and vomit.

Experts have also shared five ways to escape a plane crash.

Plus, there is also a common parent trick used on flights that experts say should be banned for safety.

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THIS is the moment a passenger is dragged off a Ryanair plane after sparking a bloody brawl.

He reportedly attempted to yank open the emergency door mid-air during the flight from Bournemouth to Girona, Spain, on Thursday.

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The plane was forced to make an emergency landing in Toulouse, France, so the troublemaker could be booted off.

Footage from the runway in Toulouse shows four cops carrying the bloke, who is lying limp and handcuffed in their arms.

They dump him down onto the tarmac as others stand guard.

The man – seen in a white t-shirt and orange shorts – apparently burst out with: “I want to go,” before making a beeline for the plane’s door.

Other passengers – realising he was intent on opening the hatch – jumped to stop him and a scrap followed.

The unidentified man allegedly spat and threw punches at fellow passengers before he was pinned to the floor.

A seatbelt was even bound around his legs to immobilise the troublemaker.

After being plonked back into a seat, he is said to have aimed a headbutt at a pensioner sitting next to him.

Other passengers broke down in tears and even suffered panic attacks in the face of his aggression.

One witness said: “The whole event was very traumatic.

“The man had gone into the toilet and then afterwards was trying opening one of the emergency exit doors.

“He then went to try the other shouting ‘I want to go.’

“That’s when a huge brawl started with a lot more than one man trying to get him away from the doors.

“There was a big punch up and he then finally got taken down in the isle and was pinned to the floor where they then managed to get a seatbelt extender round his ankles to stop him kicking.”

Fellow passenger David Malone said: “They started brawling in the middle of the plane.

“It went on for about 30 minutes and one guy was completely off his head, it took about three people to restrain him.

“It was horrible, there was blood everywhere there were people screaming and crying.

“It was horrible, disgusting really. It made you ashamed to be British to be honest.

“It’s sad really, I felt sorry for the staff. Something needs to be done about the amount of alcohol they allow people to consume at the airport.”

It’s understood the man had been fighting with another person in his group before heading for the doors.

After the man had been removed, the plane continued on to Girona, landing around two hours behind schedule.

A spokesperson for Ryanair said: “This flight from Bournemouth to Girona (4 Sept) was diverted to Toulouse after a passenger became disruptive onboard.

“Crew called ahead for police assistance, who met the aircraft upon landing at Toulouse Airport and offloaded this passenger before this flight continued to Girona.

“Ryanair has a strict zero tolerance policy towards passenger misconduct and will continue to take decisive action to combat unruly passenger behaviour, ensuring that all passengers and crew travel in a respectful and stress-free environment, without unnecessary disruption.”

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THIS is the shocking moment a Virgin Atlantic passenger hurled abuse at a hostess he threatened to “gang rape and set alight”

Disturbing footage shows Salman Iftikhar, 37, tell stewardess Angie Walsh she would be attacked in her hotel after landing.

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He spouted his vile rant after downing champagne on an eight-hour flight from London Heathrow to Lahore on February 7 2023.

Iftikhar said Ms Walsh would be taken from her hotel room, gang raped and set on fire.

Another passenger, who filmed the shocking scenes, can be heard saying “holy s–t”.

Iftikhar repeatedly accuses Ms Walsh of being a racist and says: “You called me a p-ki in front of everybody.”

The 37-year-old had been flying with his wife and three children, Isleworth Crown Court heard.

Prosecuting, Abdul Kapadia, said: “During the defendant’s first meal service, the defendant was seen helping himself to ice, leaning over the bar he was drinking at, and taking ice with his hands.

“When told to stop, the defendant became irate, and started to film cabin crew with his phone, telling them: ‘Do not tell me what to do you b***h.

“When asked by the cabin crew to return to his seat, he then said: ‘Don’t tell me what to do you racist f***ing b***h. I know where you are from in Cardiff.”

Staff alerted the pilot and the seat belt signs were turned on, which only aggravated Iftikhar more.

He continued to call Ms Walsh a “f***ing b***h” before his escalating behaviour sparked a possible flight diversion to Turkey.

“The defendant was informed of this possible diversion, to which he replied: ‘I don’t care. F–it, go to Turkey. I have contacts,” the prosecutor told the court.

“The defendant then sat down, but his aggressive behaviour continued.

“His wife was ashamed. His three children were also on-board,
and other crew members were called to assist, but the defendant continued shouting and swearing.

“He was slurring his words, with his voice raised.

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“He shouted at the cabin crew: ‘Do you know who I am?’

“The defendant’s wife went to the food bar and tried to talk to cabin crew, but the defendant pushed his wife away, and shouted at her not to talk to crew.”

He grabbed one flight attendant, called Tommy Merchant, and threatened him with a fight.

‘YOU WILL BE DEAD’

The out-of-control passenger then told cabin crew he would blow up the floor of their hotel.

“The defendant knew the specific hotel, but also the hotel room numbers, and threatened the cabin crew with this,” Mr Kapadia told the court.

“He told Ms Walsh: ‘You will be dead on the floor of your hotel’.

“Iftikhar shouted at Ms Walsh and said: ‘The white sheep sh**ging b***h will be dead. The floor of your hotel will be blown up and it will disappear.

“He told Ms Walsh: ‘You will be dragged by your hair from your room and gang raped and set on fire’.”

His violent rant unfolded in front of his wife and three young children – who were brought to tears.

Iftikhar was arrested at his £900,000 detached home in Iver, Bucks, on March 16, 2024.

‘IT HAS BROKEN ME’

In an impact statement, Ms Walsh said she was forced to take off 14 months and the altercation “changed my life enormously”.

“I can’t quite believe that one passenger has had this much of an impact on my, my job, my career and my life,” she said.

“I am a strong brave, happy stewardess, and loved my job. I am well known within the company.

“But I had to take 14 months off work. 

“I have been flying with Virgin Atlantic for 37 years. I was working when all flights were grounded on 9/11, and I’ve even flown into a warzone. But this incident has broken me.

“But I don’t feel strong enough anymore. I was abused for eight hours and 15 mins. It has broken me. It was a very personal attack.

“I was doing everything in my power to protect passengers and the crew from him. I felt exposed and vulnerable, especially as we were 39,000 feet in the air. There was nowhere for me to go.

“There was one moment where I felt I could not cope. I went into the cockpit and had a meltdown. I said to the captain I don’t know what to do. 

“Even the threat of diverting the plane to Turkey or Baku, Azerbaijan, had no effect.

“I was traumatised by the threat of being gang raped.

“Never in my entire career flying for 37 years have I not been sure what to do.

“I have had the best career in the world for 37 years. But he has taken that away from me.”

He told Ms Walsh: ‘You will be dead on the floor of your hotel’

Prosecutor Abdul Kapadia

Iftikhar, of Iver, Bucks, admitted making threats to kill and racially aggravated harassment, in relation to Ms Walsh.

He was cleared of assault by beating and threats to kill in relation to Mr Merchant.

Ben Walker-Nolan, defending, said Iftikhar was suffering from “amnesia blood loss” at the time.

Mr Walker-Nolan added: “Although there were over 100 incidents over the course of eight hours, the most serious, including threats to kill, were limited.

“The defendant has buried his head in the sand for a long period, and expressed regret.

“He has a long standing drug and alcohol problem which he has not addressed for many years.

“He is a successful businessman who employs a lot of people.”

THUG JAILED

Iftikhar has six previous convictions arising from 15 offences, including common assault in 2004 and drink driving in 2008 and failing to stop and possession of cannabis in 2021.

Judge Ms Recorder Annabel Darlow KC said: “Your threats to kill were made in the presence of children, specifically your three young children. 

“These were threats made with significant violence. 

“Your children had to be comforted by cabin crew staff while you made those threats.

“Ms Walsh has given up a job which she has loved for 14 months, but thankfully has now returned to work.

“This was a sustained incident which involved repeated racist abuse to Ms Walsh.

“You have a lengthy and appalling record of misconduct. You have not addressed the underlying cause of this for many years, that is your drug and alcohol problem.

“Given your lifestyle and your ability to earn money, your harm and risk has not moved.

“This was an appalling incident which has caused long lasting and devastating consequences.”

Iftikhar cried in the dock as he was jailed for 15 months.

His LinkedIn profile stated that he was the director and founder of recruitment firm Staffing Match.

Virgin Atlantic was contacted for comment.

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WHEN Michelle Dell booked a summer holiday to Gran Canaria, she expected two weeks of fun in the sun.

But just days after arriving, the Sheffield mum fell gravely ill – and before long, she knew she was dying.

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The terrifying ordeal left an even deeper scar on her daughter Lizzie, then 11, who developed a devastating phobia that ruled her life for the next 12 years.

Michelle tells The Sun: “I feel lucky every day of my life to still be here but, also, I have felt terrible guilt for what happened to Lizzie – wondering if we could have done anything differently.

“It took me four years to recover and I now have lots of long-term health problems.

“None of that matters though, because I’m still here.” 

The family’s nightmare began in the summer of 2012 after jetting to Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands with friends.

The group upgraded to a new four-star hotel in the popular seaside resort Playa del Ingles after two nights, because the first one they had booked was disappointing. 

Michelle, along with husband Wayne, 52, and daughters Lizzie and Rosie, then 10, were in an apartment, with six other pals on the trip located next door.

On the third night of the holiday, the group went for a buffet dinner in the hotel’s restaurant. 

Michelle says: “As all-inclusives go, this one felt good quality and the choice of food was good.

“I’m a bit of a clean freak and it seemed very clean.

“I and five others in the group went for the Spanish omelette, which tasted perfectly good.” 

The group headed out for a few rosés, gin and tonics and Spanish lagers at a nearby bar.

But the next day, things took a dramatic turn.

Michelle says: “In the morning, I went onto my balcony and our friends next door said one of the group had been up all night sick with a bug.

“We had a bit of a giggle and made light of it because we thought it was very minor but as I was talking, I thought, ‘Oh goodness, I need the toilet.’”

Michelle suffered sudden diarrhoea, but assumed it was a minor travel bug.

Within hours, four others were sick. Michelle was getting worse with every passing minute.

It was like the worst horror film I’d ever seen. There was blood all over the floor, sick everywhere and she was screaming in agony

LizzieDaughter

She says: “I was doubled over in agony. I’m not really one to make a fuss but it was absolutely the worst pain I’ve ever felt in my life.

“It was as though somebody’s hands were inside my tummy twisting it and the pain wouldn’t stop.”

The hotel doctor was called and tried multiple times to put a cannula in her arm to get fluids in, but Michelle was too poorly and couldn’t be rehydrated. 

Michelle says: “By this time I felt like I’d been drugged and was drifting in and out of consciousness.”

Wayne and Michelle had tried to shield the girls from the events unfolding by asking them to stay in their beds – which were separated from their bed by a small partition wall.

But for Lizzie, hearing her mum’s screams was distressing.

Lizzie says: “When I did see her it was like the worst horror film I’d ever seen. 

“There was blood all over the floor from the cannula being taken in and out. 

“There was sick everywhere because mum was vomiting so much. She was screaming in agony.”

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Taken to a local hospital in Maspalomas, she was given fluids and sent back to the hotel hours later – still with no diagnosis.

The next day, on day five of the holiday, she collapsed again and was rushed to a larger hospital.

Doctors soon discovered she had contracted an extreme case of salmonella – a bacterial infection linked to food poisoning.

Michelle says: “My body was swollen and huge with the fluids. My eyelids couldn’t even open properly.

“I remember phoning my mum in England from my bed and saying, ‘I think I’m going to die.’

“There was something telling my brain: ‘It doesn’t matter what you do now, your body’s taken over.’ I thought my internal organs were shutting down.”

As the rest of the group began to recover, Wayne stayed with the kids, trying to keep things as normal as possible. 

In despair, Michelle called him.

She says: “I told him, ‘You need to come back to the hospital because something’s happening. I’m falling really ill again’.

“He was having pizza with the girls, but I insisted, ‘You need to come now. This is really serious’.

“The staff kept saying, ‘You are fine’. I’m not a melodramatic person but when he came in, I sobbed.

“I told him, ‘I am not fine. I’m going to die. You need to tell them to get me a doctor now to do more tests. Please make them understand I’m just not a hysterical woman. I am ill’.”

The worrying rise in salmonella cases

By Isabel Shaw, Health Reporter

SALMONELLA cases are at a record high in Britain – and there are some key signs you can look out for.

In the most recent outbreak, over 100 people were sickened and 14 rushed to hospital after eating tomatoes.

Health officials urged Brits to be on high alert for the symptoms of salmonella infection, which can last anywhere from four to seven days.

Cases hit a record decade high in 2024, soaring by almost a fifth in a single year to over 10,000 cases, UKHSA data shows.

Separate statistics reveal cases in the first quarter of 2025 were even higher than 2024, with some 1,588 cases logged between January and March 2025, up on the 1,541 reported over the same period in 2024.

By comparison, there were 1,328 reports between January and March 2023.  

Children under 10 were particularly affected, accounting for 21.5 per cent of cases. 

Salmonella, which lives in the guts of animals and humans and spreads through contaminated poo, can cause a sudden bout of fever, vomiting, explosive diarrhoea, stomach pains and headaches, often striking within hours of eating tainted food.

The bacteria, which often taints food if grown in dirty water or handled with grubby hands, attacks the gut lining, damaging cells and stopping the body from soaking up water.

This is what leads to the painful cramps and non-stop diarrhoea as the body flushes out the water it couldn’t absorb.

Most people recover without treatment, but in rare cases it can turn deadly.

Around one in 50 sufferers go on to develop a serious blood infection, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Young children, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems are most at risk of complications.

Thankfully, deaths remain rare in the UK, with fatal cases making up just 0.2 per cent of reports.

Wayne fought Michelle’s corner and doctors agreed to retest her.

They found she had sepsis, a deadly immune reaction to an infection that needs to be treated rapidly.

One of the key symptoms of sepsis is someone saying they feel like they are dying, according to the UK Sepsis Trust, as well as a high temperature, chills, a rapid heart rate, a rash that doesn’t fade when pressed and breathlessness.

The body overreacts to the infection and starts attacking itself, damaging its own tissues and organs.

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Michelle began to stabilise after her treatment was changed, with a new antibiotic.

Later, doctors told her they believed it was the hotel’s Spanish omelette that caused her illness, due to the timings of events.

Friends also told Michelle that other guests, like the five in her party, had eaten the omelettes and got sick too.

Michelle’s daughters flew home with the rest of the group after the fortnight holiday ended and went to stay with their grandparents, while Wayne stayed at Michelle’s bedside.

She gradually started to feel better, and flew home a week later, but has been left with after-effects, as 40 per cent of survivors are.

She lives with chronic fatigue (also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis, or ME), non-epileptic seizures, chronic migraines and functional neurological disorder  – a problem with how the brain receives and sends information to the rest of the body.

‘I’d give myself black eyes’

It wasn’t just her life that was changed though. Daughter Lizzie, who was traumatised by her mum’s brush with death, was also deeply affected. 

Lizzie says: “I’d seen my mum so ill in the hotel, and then we’d seen her in hospital looking grey and almost dead.

“The second I got home, the first thing that I got in my head was, ‘OK, so I’m not going to eat.’ In my head, it was a case of, ‘If you eat, you could die’.”

From a healthy 11-year-old, Lizzie grew anxious and gaunt, surviving only on bread sticks, cereal and packaged snacks.

In 2017, five years after the holiday, 16-year-old Lizzie suffered a full-blown panic attack on a train after seeing someone being sick.

She says: “I’d never had one properly like that so when I got home I Googled my symptoms and that’s the first time I read about emetophobia – a fear of vomiting. That was me.”

It spiralled into constant anxiety and self-harm, as Lizzie tried to focus on anything but the fear.

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“There were days when I had seven or eight panic attacks and wherever I was – on a plane or on a train – I’d start screaming,” she says.

“Looking back, the panic attacks were just this need to create another feeling other than sickness, so I’d create pain. 

“I’d even give myself black eyes from hitting myself.”

Though talented Lizzie had won a place at drama school in Manchester, she lived alone and didn’t socialise.

She says: “I didn’t do anything for 12 years. I went to drama school in Manchester but lived on my own because I didn’t want to be around others. 

“I didn’t go to parties. I didn’t drink.”

In 2023, Lizzie took a dream job as a Christmas elf in Lapland – but was sent home months later after her weight plummeted from nine stone to just five stone two pounds.

I cherish every day. I’ve gone from seeing my daughter’s life slipping away to seeing her embracing it

Michelle DellMum

She says: “Being abroad, I was just unable to eat anything cooked by others, so I’d be eating breakfast bars from the local shop and not a lot else.

“It got even worse when my flatmate out there got sick.

“I didn’t tell anyone about my worries with food but I was sent home from the job. 

“Not long after that I lost my acting agent because I just wasn’t well enough to get parts.

“It’s really sad because I wanted to live, but I’d completely lost all joy in life. 

“I was sick of looking at myself in the mirror covered in bruises.”

Michelle, who works as a college lecturer with inclusion students, was desperate to help her daughter. 

They saw private and NHS specialists, as well as multiple therapists. 

What is emetophobia and how can you overcome it?

By Nik and Eva Speakman

Emetophobia is an intense fear of vomiting. It is a debilitating and often misunderstood phobia. 

It can manifest in a range of obsessive-compulsive behaviours, such as excessive sanitisation, extreme food restrictions, eating disorders, health anxiety, and avoidance of travel, medical environments, and even children. 

Social withdrawal is common, with many sufferers limiting contact with others for fear of illness, vomit and vomit-causing bugs. 

While it is especially prevalent among women, emetophobia remains under-recognised within the medical community, despite being the most common phobia seen in our clinic. 

It’s estimated that up to 5.5million people in the UK may be affected, yet provision of effective treatment is still limited.

Emetophobia is not innate. It typically stems from a distressing childhood experience, such as a traumatic incident at school or mirroring an anxious parent’s behaviour. 

The key to recovery lies in positively reframing these formative experiences with an experienced therapist.

Using a simple self-help exercise can really help. Create two columns – Fears vs Facts – to challenge distorted beliefs with logic and evidence.

She says: “We were in despair because my husband and I felt like we had exhausted every option. 

“Then I saw there was an emetophobia class with The Speakmans in February 2025 in Manchester and I just booked it instantly.

“I held out no hope but I was just happy Lizzie was willing to go.”

Life change experts Nik and Eva Speakman are known for helping thousands overcome phobias. 

Lizzie says: “I went into their workshop and by the time I left they’d literally changed my life.

“I shared my story, very nervously on stage. They completely changed the way I had thought about things.

“They told me: ‘Being sick didn’t nearly kill your mum, it was the egg. Being sick had actually helped save her.’ 

“Twenty-five minutes into speaking to them, I felt completely different.

“Two weeks later, I couldn’t believe it. I got norovirus.

“I’d spent 12 years trying to avoid being sick and now I had it, full on.

“But I was absolutely fine. I was sick all night, non-stop, no issue, no panic attacks.”

Today, Lizzie is thriving – eating normally, running a performing arts school and planning a holiday to Greece.

She says: “I still have some of the thoughts but they don’t stop me from eating three meals a day, piling the food on. I just don’t worry about being sick anymore.

“I used to think I wouldn’t be here for much longer.  Now, it’s like I am living properly because I haven’t for so long’.”

Michelle remains full of gratitude having nearly lost her life and watching her daughter turn her life around.

“I cherish every day,” she says. “I’ve gone from seeing my daughter’s life slipping away to seeing her embracing it. I will forever be grateful to The Speakmans.”

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For more real-life examples, practical tips, and expert support, tune in to The Speakmans’ Hope Clinic podcast, where emetophobia – and other common issues – are treated live.

To learn more about The Speakmans’ Emetophobia Masterclasses, email: [email protected].