MORE than 25 tourists were left bedbound with suspected food poisoning at a five star Tui hotel in Turkey.
But they were originally told the weather was to blame for the violent sickness sweeping through the all-inclusive Rixos Sungate resort.
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A hotel doctor said the mystery lurgy may be caused by “day and night temperature differences, seasonal factors, and allergic reactions”.
Guests suffering vomiting, diarrhoea and fever slammed Tui and the Turkish hotel’s response as “laughable and unhelpful”.
Holidaymakers have been living off a banana a day after being too scared to eat at the 24-hour buffet, or too ill to eat at all.
They were also told they would be charged if they wanted to transfer to a separate hotel.
Health experts were investigating the outbreak at the hotel over the weekend after a slew of sickly tourists.
They all endured relentless vomiting, diarrhoea, fevers and stomach cramps for days.
Sufferers range from a 22-month-old baby to a woman in her 60s, and many guests have been worried about being too unwell to catch their plane home.
Mum Rebecca Wright, 37, complained to Tui about it earlier this week before her step-daughter Charlie Bracewell, 14, had been hospitalised.
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But she got a message back saying: “We have spoken with the hotel and they have responded saying: Our hotel doctor is following the issue closely and conveyed that this situation may occur as a result of weather changes, especially day and night temperature differences, seasonal factors, especially allergic reactions.”
They had all been staying at the five-star Rixos Sungate hotel on a Tui package holiday in Turkey when the bug spread through.
Now both the ill and healthy guests are petrified of eating from the buffet or drinking the water there because they fear that might be the source of the issue.
A support WhatsApp group was set up for everyone and one lady, who had not been struck down, went out to buy food from a local shop for others.
Rebecca paid around £4,000 for their ten day getaway.
Her step-daughter Charlie, 14, fell ill and went into hospital for three days where she was diagnosed with gastroenteritis.
They now have medical bills of around £3,000.
Executive PA Rebecca, from Preston, Lancashire, told The Sun: “I’ve been absolutely exhausted and felt so ill.
“There are more people coming down with it every day. It’s laughable they suggested it was the weather.
“I am so worried about being able to fly home. I went out of my room for two hours and had to go back to bed feeling exhausted.
“We are all petrified of the buffet. We all think it’s food or drink related. Literally, since my step daughter got ill we have lived off bananas.”
She travelled with her partner David Bracewell, 43, and kids Charlie, Oliver, ten, and Indie, three.
Meanwhile, Liam Garnett, 37, has been ill for more than ten days. His kids Jude, six, and Eleanora, four, have also become unwell.
The site manager from Manchester said: “It’s been a nightmare.”
He arrived during the night last week and went straight to the 24-hour buffet.
A few days later, he began feeling unwell before coming down with stomach cramps, chills and vomiting.
He added: “I couldn’t leave my bed. I couldn’t eat anything. I got room service to get something in me but I couldn’t eat it.
“I’m gutted. I’ve never been so poorly.”
A Tui spokeswoman said: “We are concerned to hear of a small number cases at Rixos Sungate in Turkey, as health and safety of our customers is our highest priority.
“Our team at resort are in close contact with our guests and offering support where necessary.
“Our health and safety team are investigating in close collaboration with the hotel and we will remain in frequent contact with our guests.
“We’d like to reassure all customers that we regularly audit all of our hotels in respect to health and safety, including hygiene.”
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