A PENRITH couple stricken with salmonella while on holiday in Turkey have begun a legal battle in the hope that “no one else faces” the same experience.

Stephen Amos and his wife Vicky were enjoying a dream one-week getaway in October 2019 in Icmeler, on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, when both became seriously unwell just a couple of days into their trip.

“I began to really struggle with stomach cramps and was doubled over in agony,” said Stephen, 52.

Hospitalised and put on a drip, he had only just begun to recover when Vicky, also 52, came down with the same symptoms.

Upon returning to Cumbria, medical staff examining them discovered they were both suffering from salmonella.

“Even now I don’t feel like either of us has made a full recovery yet,” said Stephen.

Stephen blames the food served by the resort in which they were staying, Hotel L’Etoile.

“Sometimes there were flies around the food,” he said.

“This was meant to be a relaxing holiday and it turned out to be anything but that. We’re fairly certain that we weren’t the only people who were ill.

“While nothing will change what happened, we just want to see steps taken so no one else faces what we have.”

The couple have now started legal action, and are being represented by Sheffield-based law firm Irwin Mitchell.

Personal injury specialist Clare Pearson from the firm described the case as “very worrying”.

She added that some who contract salmonella are “left with long-term symptoms”.

“We are determined to help them gain the answers,” she said.

“We would be interested in speaking to any other guests who have stayed at this hotel over the last few months to provide us with further information and eye-witness accounts of the issues reported at the hotel in order to assist us with our investigations.”