Our £4,000 dream trip to Cape Verde was ruined by severe stomach bug say Yorkshire holidaymakers

Lorraine Wilson and her partner Mark Bonner, from York, paid just under £4,000 to holiday at the five star Hotel Riu Palace Santa Maria on the island of Sal in October.

But four days in, both were struck with sickness and diarrhoea .

After two days they went to the on-site clinic and were told to visit hospital where they were put on a drip and then prescribed medication to ease stomach cramps, along with rehydration sachets and probiotics. They saw their GP when they came home and say they are still suffering ongoing symptoms.

Ms Wilson, who suffered stomach pains, a headache and flu-like symptoms on the trip, says she has never felt so ill in her life.

The 42-year-old, who runs a holiday letting management company, said: “The enthusiasm and excitement we had about our holiday quickly vanished when we fell ill. We couldn’t even keep down water and I’ve never been so ill in my life. All I wanted was to be home.

“There were a lot of flies in the restaurant landing on things, food was left uncovered for very long periods and I saw new food being mixed with old food.”

Mr Bonner, who runs a railway design company, said they wanted answers, adding: “What’s even more concerning is that we didn’t appear to be alone.

"We saw other holidaymakers who said they’d been poorly.”

The couple are among 15 holidaymakers - all of whom booked their holidays through tour operator TUI - to have instructed lawyers Irwin Mitchell to investigate.

The law firm is already acting on behalf of more than 300 people following an outbreak at the hotel last year. Their cases are ongoing.

Lisa Bradley from Carlton, Selby, said she tried to change her stay two weeks before her holiday in September after reading social media rumours about the hotel.

However the retired financial adviser said she was told by TUI it was too close to departure and there were no issues at the hotel.

The 58-year-old said she woke in the early hours after falling ill four days into her holiday feeling as if she couldn’t breathe and as if “someone was squeezing my heart”.

She was told at the clinic she had dangerously low blood pressure and to go to hospital where she was put on a drip and was given a heart tablet. She said: “I was totally wiped out for a few days and the holiday I’d looked forward to was ruined.”

Irwin Mitchell said it was concerning that they continued to be contacted by a growing number of people from across the UK with claims of serious illness at the hotel. TUI and the hotel were approached for a comment.