A LOCAL family’s summer holiday to Spain was ruined after most of their group fell ill.


Kelly and Marc Thompson, and their two young children, were part of a group of 17 people from Haverfordwest who booked a holiday to Majorca through the county town’s branch of Thomas Cook.


A few days in to their stay at the Club Mac Hotel in Alcudia, disaster struck.


“Marc was the first person to fall ill,” said Kelly. “He started off by feeling nauseous, then ended up with diarrhoea and vomiting. I didn’t know what was going on at the start, I thought he might have been being a bit dramatic!”


The same day, Kelly’s nine-month-old niece, Freya, also succumbed to illness.


“Freya had sickness and diarrhoea too, then during the week we started dropping like flies. By the time we left, only three or four people in our group had escaped being ill. The rest of us were all sick.”


When the Thompsons returned home, their five-year-old son, Oli, and daughter Lacey, three, were so violently ill they phoned the on-call doctor.


During an internet search, Kelly found numerous posts reporting problems with illness at Club Mac.

“I started looking, and I was horrified,” said Kelly. “I went on Trip Advisor. Someone had even started a Facebook page just for stories about Club Mac.

First thing on Monday morning, my sister and I went to Thomas Cook. We spoke to the manager, and she said there was nothing she could do. She told us to contact Head Office.”


Kelly sent an e-mail, but did not receive a reply.


“I know they got it, because I received a delivery notice,” said Kelly. “Through the Club Mac Facebook page, I got in touch with FarnworthRose Solicitors, because they have taken on so many cases from this hotel. They have written to Thomas Cook on our behalf, and are waiting for a response.”


The rest of the group are all pursuing claims against Thomas Cook through the same firm.


“We spent three hours in the travel agent, and nobody said anything about what was going on at that hotel. I don’t know if they knew, but didn’t tell us, or if they just had no idea,” said Kelly.


“With all that’s going on with Club Mac, how can they still allow people to go there? My mum was on medication, and she passed out. She suffered the worst.”


The Western Telegraph contacted the Thomas Cook Group’s Press Office with a number of questions regarding the Thompson’s holiday, but did not receive a response.