HOLIDAYMAKERS from Huddersfield whose trip of a lifetime was ruined by chronic sickness have sued one of Britain’s biggest travel companies.

The Taylor family will get damages from Thomas Cook over the nightmare break to the Dominican Republic in August last year – having paid £6,500 for the trip to paradise.

Ian Taylor, 35, wife Amanda, 43, and children Dane Wright, 17, Paige Wright, 16, and Connor Taylor, 10, suffered from extreme diarrhoea and sickness after an outbreak of illness at the four-star Bahia Principe Hotel in Punta Cana.

Connor and Paige both had to be placed on a drip at a local clinic, where staff incorrectly inserted the drip into the wrong place on Paige’s body.

The family, of Anthony Close, Mount, were among 450 travellers who successfully sued tour operators through law firm Irwin Mitchell.

Mr Taylor said: “It was a holiday from hell and the holiday company left us high and dry.”

Mrs Taylor added: “It was awful – people were dropping like flies.

“It was supposed to be the holiday of a lifetime. Ian had lost his parents a couple of years ago and this was the first family holiday since then.

“But it was horrendous.”

Guests at the hotel made complaints about a range of issues, from unhygienic rooms and bathrooms to undercooked food and birds landing on food.

The local medical clinic was overwhelmed by the number of British tourists seeking emergency treatment.

Several guests were hospitalised and some required further treatment after returning to the UK.

Mrs Taylor said sick guests could be seen on mattresses outside the hotel crying out in pain.

She added: “It’s nice to know this is coming to an end and they have admitted liability, but it should never have happened in the first place.”

The admission of liability from Thomas Cook is likely to result in millions of pounds being paid out to British holidaymakers who travelled to the hotel in August, 2007.

Suki Chhokar, partner at Irwin Mitchell’s travel law team, said: “We have been aware of problems at this hotel for a number of years and have taken successful legal action for clients who suffered illnesses following stays at this hotel in 1997, 2004, 2005 and 2006.

“The illness that our clients have suffered has significantly affected their lives and in a large number of cases clients are continuing to suffer with problems even now.

“It is not uncommon for people who have suffered from gastric illness to develop long-term side effects and, in some cases, these changes can be permanent and have serious consequences for their health and wellbeing.

“A number of clients are continuing to have treatment for ongoing symptoms and in some cases have developed associated issues such as psychological and rheumatological problems.

“The continuing history of problems at the Bahia Principe hotel is among the very worst that we are aware of.”