BED BITES
We fled hotel after our room became swarmed with bed bugs – I was covered in bites… our holiday became a nightmare
The couple are still having nightmares after being affected mentally by the ordeal
A COUPLE were forced to flee their hotel room in the middle of the night after waking up to find their sheets swarming with bed bugs.
Stacey Saunders and her partner Gurmukh Singh had booked a stay at the Sands Hotel in Bournemouth, Dorset, to celebrate Gurmukh's 64th birthday.
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But their dream getaway soon turned into a nightmare which left them covered in bites and driving home at 1am.
On the second night of their stay, Stacey woke up shortly after midnight with a headache.
She asked Gurmukh to turn on the light so she could take some painkillers and claimed she could see the pillow crawling with bugs when he got up.
The couple quickly got dressed and complained to the hotel reception about the critters before heading home to Southampton, Hants.
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When they arrived they stripped in the hallway and showered straight away to avoid the risk of the bugs getting into their bedroom.
Horrified Stacey said she suffered bites to her right arm and leg but Gurmukh was covered in about 30 bites all over his back, arms and legs, which still haven't cleared up two weeks later.
Holiday operator Daish's Holidays have since refunded the cost of their stay at the three star trip Sands Hotel which, according to its website, has been awarded the coveted Tripadvisor Travellers' Choice Award nine years in a row.
Stacey, 43, said: "I was going to take some tablets so I asked my fella to turn the light on and as he got up off the pillow, you could see the bugs just crawling all over the pillow.
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"It was really awful, the staff offered to move us to another room but we just wanted to get out of there. So at 1am in the morning we drove back home to Southampton.
"We had to strip in the hallway and shower and bath so we didn't bring any bugs back in.
"They were 100 per cent bed bugs. It's disgusting. I suffer with OCD so it has made my mental health really bad.
"I was bitten on my arm and leg and it wasn't too bad but Gurmukh was covered, he was bitten all over his back, arms and legs, he has about 30 bites."
The couple contacted the hotel owner and holiday operator to request compensation.
Paul Harper, commercial director at Daish's Holidays, said: "Health and safety is our number one priority. Unfortunately bed bugs are a nationwide issue which we take incredibly seriously.
"We have a rigorous policy that includes the use of external contractors for chemical and heat treatment.
"We responded immediately to the guests' concerns and offered them alternative accommodation so they were able to continue their stay if they wished, and promised a full refund should they prefer to head home. The refund has since been issued.
"I want to express my sincere apologies that this stay fell below expectations. I also wish to reassure guests that all appropriate procedures at the Bournemouth Sands have recently been undertaken to ensure there is no prevailing issue."
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