0:00:04 > 0:00:07Millions of you are flicking through those holiday brochures
0:00:07 > 0:00:11getting rid of the winter blues by deciding exactly where you want
0:00:11 > 0:00:15to spend your two weeks in the sun.
0:00:15 > 0:00:18We all invest our trust in the holiday industry
0:00:18 > 0:00:22- hoping it delivers on its promise. - But things can go wrong.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25There are accidents and incidents that you just can't predict,
0:00:25 > 0:00:28and when that happens, a dream holiday can end in disaster.
0:00:30 > 0:00:33We looked out, there were bodies everywhere.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36It was just a complete construction site going on next door.
0:00:36 > 0:00:40Everything that was on the back seat had gone.
0:00:40 > 0:00:42We are the Holiday Hit Squad.
0:00:42 > 0:00:45Our mission, simply, is to ensure you get the best holiday possible
0:00:45 > 0:00:49and we're going to show you some of the things to watch out for.
0:00:49 > 0:00:53We'll be digging up the dirt at some of the dodgiest hotels.
0:00:53 > 0:00:57An awful smell coming up. That's strong, isn't it?
0:00:57 > 0:00:59And getting them to clean up their act.
0:00:59 > 0:01:02There are cockroaches in the hotel.
0:01:02 > 0:01:06We are travelling the world to some of the most popular destinations
0:01:06 > 0:01:10for Brits with exclusive insight into some harsh holiday hazards.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13I thought, she's going to drown.
0:01:13 > 0:01:16I'm making dreams come true
0:01:16 > 0:01:20for some unlucky victims of holidays from hell.
0:01:20 > 0:01:25There were workers outside, trucks going past.
0:01:25 > 0:01:27I felt a bit deceived, to be honest.
0:01:30 > 0:01:32Coming up on the programme...
0:01:32 > 0:01:35I travel to Florida, home of Disney World,
0:01:35 > 0:01:39and I find my hotel has its own resident mouse.
0:01:40 > 0:01:43My God, a dead mouse.
0:01:43 > 0:01:48I find out just how damaging that healthy-looking tan can be.
0:01:48 > 0:01:50We can see evidence of chronic sun exposure
0:01:50 > 0:01:53and that does mean you are at increased risk of cancer.
0:01:53 > 0:01:57We hear from a family who were turned into human fireballs
0:01:57 > 0:01:58on holiday in Turkey.
0:01:58 > 0:02:03Flames rushed out of this bottle straight into Kirsty's face.
0:02:03 > 0:02:06Set her head on fire, burnt all your hair off.
0:02:08 > 0:02:13Every year, we spend around £1.6 billion on hotel accommodation,
0:02:13 > 0:02:16but what are we actually getting for our money?
0:02:16 > 0:02:20No matter how fabulous the hotel may look from its photographs,
0:02:20 > 0:02:23there's no way of knowing if it will live up to expectations
0:02:23 > 0:02:27until you actually get there, as Joe is about to find out.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32A whopping 78% of Brits consider a hotel stay
0:02:32 > 0:02:35to be more of a treat than they did five years ago.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40So if anything is to ruin a holiday,
0:02:40 > 0:02:43no-one wants it to be the place they forked out to stay in.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48I'll be getting the worst hotel offenders inspected
0:02:48 > 0:02:53for the sake of all holidaymakers trying to put things right.
0:02:53 > 0:02:57MUSIC: "Holiday" by Madonna
0:03:01 > 0:03:05MUSIC: "Miami" by Will Smith
0:03:10 > 0:03:14Florida - the number one British holiday spot in the US
0:03:14 > 0:03:16and here in Miami,
0:03:16 > 0:03:20we just love to soak up the sun on white sandy beaches.
0:03:20 > 0:03:24With its trendy Art Deco hotels and glamorous lifestyle,
0:03:24 > 0:03:28South Beach is the place to be seen, so staying here can be pricey.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35But bang in the middle of the action
0:03:35 > 0:03:38on Ocean Drive and overlooking the Atlantic,
0:03:38 > 0:03:41the £56 a night three-star Cavalier Hotel
0:03:41 > 0:03:45boasts that it's the best value in the area.
0:03:45 > 0:03:46I've just arrived in Florida
0:03:46 > 0:03:49and I had to check in at the Cavalier Hotel.
0:03:49 > 0:03:51It looks really nice from the outside.
0:03:51 > 0:03:55Great location in the middle of Miami Beach, but the reviews online
0:03:55 > 0:03:58have been absolutely terrible. Can it really be that bad?
0:04:03 > 0:04:07The Cavalier has been described by guests as "disgusting,"
0:04:07 > 0:04:09"infested with bed bugs"
0:04:09 > 0:04:13and "the worst place I've ever been to."
0:04:13 > 0:04:15But after a long international flight,
0:04:15 > 0:04:17I just want to get my head down.
0:04:21 > 0:04:26Right. This is my double room.
0:04:26 > 0:04:31Well, it seems OK at first glance, but we'll see.
0:04:31 > 0:04:33We'll see if there are any bedbugs here, I guess,
0:04:33 > 0:04:38when I put my head down on that pillow.
0:04:39 > 0:04:43The full extent of horror in this hotel is only revealed
0:04:43 > 0:04:46in the clear light of the following day.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49It's only when you're better rested you get a proper appreciation
0:04:49 > 0:04:52of what it's actually like. First of all, the bed.
0:04:52 > 0:04:54- Good news.- No bed bugs. At least I haven't seen any,
0:04:54 > 0:04:58haven't felt any so I'm very relieved about that.
0:04:58 > 0:05:02The bad news is the whole room just doesn't seem to be clean.
0:05:02 > 0:05:04There's a little clump of human hair on the sofa.
0:05:04 > 0:05:07It just hasn't been given a thorough once-over
0:05:07 > 0:05:10and, if you come into the bathroom, this is horrible.
0:05:10 > 0:05:16That right there in the corner - that is a used plaster
0:05:16 > 0:05:18and it's definitely not mine. That's disgusting.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21As the Americans would say, "That is totally not OK."
0:05:21 > 0:05:26So that's very grim and just another indication of how long it's been
0:05:26 > 0:05:29since this room was properly cleaned last time.
0:05:29 > 0:05:33Under the bed, lots of dust, lots of grime,
0:05:33 > 0:05:36but what really stands out is this.
0:05:36 > 0:05:41The dusty used sock that someone's left behind. Ugh.
0:05:43 > 0:05:47That really isn't good enough. This place needs a proper clean.
0:05:51 > 0:05:55I think this is a hotel which really needs help
0:05:55 > 0:05:58so I'm calling in the reinforcements.
0:05:58 > 0:06:04Dr Lisa Ackerley has been a health and safety inspector for over 20 years.
0:06:04 > 0:06:07- How's it going? - Good, thanks.
0:06:07 > 0:06:09Good to see you. Welcome to Miami Beach.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12We have quite a place for you to look at so shall we get started?
0:06:12 > 0:06:14- OK.- I'll take that if you want.
0:06:14 > 0:06:19When it comes to hygiene and guest safety, she demands the very best.
0:06:19 > 0:06:23When I walk into a hotel room, I expect to have a feel-good factor.
0:06:23 > 0:06:26I expect it to feel and smell clean and then when I start looking,
0:06:26 > 0:06:28I expect to have no dirt on the floor.
0:06:28 > 0:06:32When I take my shoes off, I actually want to step on to a clean floor
0:06:32 > 0:06:33and not pick up bits of dirt.
0:06:33 > 0:06:35As soon as that happens, I start to get worried
0:06:35 > 0:06:38and then I don't feel comfortable in the bedroom.
0:06:38 > 0:06:40Look at this dirt coming up here. It's just unbelievable.
0:06:40 > 0:06:42Lisa's barely inside the door
0:06:42 > 0:06:46and already her antennae are twitching.
0:06:46 > 0:06:48Your first impressions, you've noticed the grime then?
0:06:48 > 0:06:51I wouldn't be taking my shoes off just at this point.
0:06:51 > 0:06:54It's just horrible and look at this. It's thick.
0:06:54 > 0:06:57When do you think this was last hoovered?
0:06:57 > 0:07:01Two weeks ago probably at least. It's disgusting.
0:07:02 > 0:07:04With the hallways this filthy,
0:07:04 > 0:07:08I dread to think what Lisa's going to find in the bedrooms.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15OK, now this is very similar to the room I stayed in last night.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18It's pretty typical. Mine wasn't that clean.
0:07:18 > 0:07:19Do you think this is cleaner?
0:07:19 > 0:07:22I'll be interested to see what you make of this.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24It might not seem the most obvious place to start,
0:07:24 > 0:07:29but Lisa's expert eye has spotted the TV remote control.
0:07:29 > 0:07:33I'll just turn it over here and I won't swab where I've touched.
0:07:33 > 0:07:38A recent study found that these handheld gadgets carry more bacteria
0:07:38 > 0:07:40than even the toilet bowl.
0:07:40 > 0:07:44What sort of things might you pick up on a remote like this?
0:07:44 > 0:07:47Really anything that the previous users have had on their hands.
0:07:47 > 0:07:50If they've been to the loo and haven't washed their hands
0:07:50 > 0:07:55and they were carrying some sort of pathogens like E. coli, salmonella,
0:07:55 > 0:07:58then those could be transferred onto the remote control.
0:07:58 > 0:08:00I suppose when you check into a hotel room,
0:08:00 > 0:08:03you don't know if the person who was in there before you was ill.
0:08:03 > 0:08:08If they were, you hope the cleaning process just wipes everything away
0:08:08 > 0:08:10and it's a clean slate.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13Luckily, Lisa's hand luggage contains a bug detector
0:08:13 > 0:08:18so we'll soon know what the previous guest has left behind for us.
0:08:20 > 0:08:25A reading of anything above 100 will be a serious concern.
0:08:25 > 0:08:26Oh! 131.
0:08:26 > 0:08:28That's quite a shock, isn't it?
0:08:28 > 0:08:32With such a high reading, there is some serious contamination here.
0:08:32 > 0:08:36Active germs can live on TV remotes for at least 24 hours
0:08:36 > 0:08:41and can pass on a cold with as little as one press of a button.
0:08:41 > 0:08:45- So, what about the bed itself? - Right.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48After complaints aplenty on TripAdvisor
0:08:48 > 0:08:52about what's between the sheets here, I wonder what we might find.
0:08:57 > 0:08:59Look, there's a big hair there in the middle of the bed.
0:08:59 > 0:09:00That's not very nice, is it?
0:09:00 > 0:09:03You don't want to be getting into this bed
0:09:03 > 0:09:06and wondering about who was in before you, do you?
0:09:06 > 0:09:10It's what you can't see that worries Lisa the most.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13I have brought a kit with me to see if we've got dust mites here
0:09:13 > 0:09:17and basically their excrement contains a protein
0:09:17 > 0:09:21which can cause an allergy in some individuals.
0:09:21 > 0:09:25Also, it can make people with asthma have attacks as well.
0:09:25 > 0:09:29Lisa's bag of tricks also contains a dust mite collector.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32A single dust mite is barely half a millimetre in size.
0:09:32 > 0:09:37A standard mattress can house up to 10 million of the little critters.
0:09:41 > 0:09:43When I've done this before,
0:09:43 > 0:09:46you've been quite surprised how dirty the membrane actually is.
0:09:46 > 0:09:48- Look at that!- I didn't think we'd see anything, that's amazing!
0:09:48 > 0:09:51I had no idea we'd see that much dirt and grime.
0:09:51 > 0:09:55- What is it exactly? - Do we think that's the dust mite poo?
0:09:55 > 0:09:58It could be. It could also be some skin.
0:09:58 > 0:10:02OK. Which is obviously what they feed on. Amazing.
0:10:02 > 0:10:06I have read that sometimes half a pillow's weight
0:10:06 > 0:10:10- can be just dust mites.- Oh...
0:10:10 > 0:10:14'To combat dust mites the hotel should be using protective covers
0:10:14 > 0:10:17'on the mattresses and regularly washing the bedding
0:10:17 > 0:10:19'at a bug-killing 60 degrees.'
0:10:19 > 0:10:23This place is filthy. There's no obvious cleaning going on.
0:10:23 > 0:10:26The rooms aren't particularly good, no-one's gone under the beds,
0:10:26 > 0:10:31all the linen's dirty, or stained, or just old and tatty.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34The communal areas are really disgusting,
0:10:34 > 0:10:37the corridors, the stairs, even the lobby, no-one's cleaned it.
0:10:37 > 0:10:41I haven't seen anyone even trying, last night or at any point today.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44They look like they haven't been cleaned in weeks.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47This place really has to get its act together.
0:10:47 > 0:10:51At the moment, it's not acceptable and, I think, Lisa's probably going to tell them that.
0:10:51 > 0:10:54'The Cavalier Hotel is showing a distinctly cavalier
0:10:54 > 0:10:59'attitude to hygiene and we have barely scratched the surface.'
0:10:59 > 0:11:02That's the reason for the smell and it's been like that
0:11:02 > 0:11:05since ten o'clock this morning. It's absolutely disgusting.
0:11:08 > 0:11:11I'm heading off to the island of Majorca.
0:11:11 > 0:11:15It really is a magnet for those Britons who are in search
0:11:15 > 0:11:18of sun, sea and a really good suntan.
0:11:18 > 0:11:22But, potentially, there could be problems lurking in paradise
0:11:22 > 0:11:26because every day around 70 Brits end up being hospitalised
0:11:26 > 0:11:31and at least 10% of them are victims of crime.
0:11:31 > 0:11:36Each year 2.5 million of us visit this beautiful Spanish island.
0:11:36 > 0:11:40So, not surprisingly, there's a huge infrastructure here,
0:11:40 > 0:11:43dedicated to looking after the great British holidaymaker.
0:11:43 > 0:11:47I'll be spending time with some of those front-line agencies
0:11:47 > 0:11:50to find out exactly what you have to do if you are one
0:11:50 > 0:11:54of the 28,000 Brits every year that lose their passports abroad.
0:11:54 > 0:11:56Oh...
0:11:56 > 0:12:00The quarter of a million that need medical help overseas.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03How do you feel about being in hospital overnight now?
0:12:03 > 0:12:04Not very happy.
0:12:04 > 0:12:08Or, the 2,000 Brits who are arrested in Spain alone.
0:12:15 > 0:12:20'If you find yourself abroad and alone, or your sunshine break
0:12:20 > 0:12:24'is clouded with calamity, who are you going to call?'
0:12:24 > 0:12:26MUSIC: Ghostbusters theme tune
0:12:26 > 0:12:29'Expat Liz and her assistant, Charlotte,
0:12:29 > 0:12:32'run one of the travel support agencies that are very often
0:12:32 > 0:12:36'the first port of call here on Majorca for the tourists who are in trouble.
0:12:38 > 0:12:43'In peak season, these companies see, on average, 40 tourists a day
0:12:43 > 0:12:47'with cases ranging from lost passports, to serious crimes
0:12:47 > 0:12:49'and it's usually non-stop.'
0:12:50 > 0:12:52The main sort of things that we get in, well,
0:12:52 > 0:12:55all through the season, really, is people wanting to fly home.
0:12:55 > 0:12:57That's a big one.
0:12:57 > 0:12:59You find with groups of girls that come away together,
0:12:59 > 0:13:02they fall out with each other and boys tends to be,
0:13:02 > 0:13:06groups of boys, they just can't take any more, can they?
0:13:06 > 0:13:09They just go out for three, four nights, drinking, drinking
0:13:09 > 0:13:13- and after the fourth or fifth day... - ..don't want to drink any more.
0:13:13 > 0:13:1632-year-old Jason is a DJ from Northampton.
0:13:16 > 0:13:20It's the second day of his regular lads holiday to Majorca
0:13:20 > 0:13:22and already he's become a victim of crime.
0:13:22 > 0:13:23Hiya, what's happened?
0:13:23 > 0:13:28Erm, I had my gold chain taken in the early hours of this morning.
0:13:28 > 0:13:32- Right.- When we were coming back from the strip.- Right.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35There was probably about seven or eight ladies.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38They just put their arms around me and walk along and this, that and the other.
0:13:38 > 0:13:41I suppose, another person's whipped it away.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44'Jason's going to have to make a statement to the police
0:13:44 > 0:13:47'but as he doesn't speak Spanish, he's going to need help.'
0:13:47 > 0:13:50That's fine, what we do is, we do a translation service
0:13:50 > 0:13:52and we can take you down there now.
0:13:52 > 0:13:54Let me give her a call now and see if she's available.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57In the meantime, you can go back. I'll call her and see what time she's available.
0:13:57 > 0:13:58OK, thank you.
0:13:58 > 0:14:02- Is it very valuable?- About £1,000.
0:14:02 > 0:14:05So, it was dear enough.
0:14:05 > 0:14:08I'm surprised you've still got a smile on your face!
0:14:08 > 0:14:09HE LAUGHS
0:14:09 > 0:14:13'This type of crime is becoming much more of a problem
0:14:13 > 0:14:16'around the world with holidaymakers falling victim to organised
0:14:16 > 0:14:20'female pickpockets, as far afield as Prague and Pattaya.
0:14:22 > 0:14:28'Meanwhile, two 18-year-olds from Newcastle arrive looking distressed.
0:14:28 > 0:14:32'Emily and Natalie had their hotel room broken into while they were out.
0:14:32 > 0:14:35'It's their first holiday away from home
0:14:35 > 0:14:38'and they don't know where else to turn.'
0:14:38 > 0:14:39OK, tell me what happened?
0:14:39 > 0:14:42There was a lock, it was locked
0:14:42 > 0:14:45- but it was just... What was it like? - It was just hung off.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48The hinge was off.
0:14:48 > 0:14:50There was a comb stuck in the safe.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52- They tried to get the safe open? - Yeah.
0:14:52 > 0:14:54- Had they managed to get the safe open?- No.
0:14:54 > 0:14:58- They took one purse and two iPods.- Right.
0:14:58 > 0:15:00I just feel like they're not doing anything about it.
0:15:00 > 0:15:02- The hotel?- Yeah.
0:15:02 > 0:15:04It's just like they're not interested.
0:15:04 > 0:15:07- How long have you got left? - Till Saturday.
0:15:07 > 0:15:09It's horrible.
0:15:09 > 0:15:12There's just stuff been going wrong.
0:15:12 > 0:15:15- I don't know. I just... - Ready to go.- Yeah.- Right.
0:15:15 > 0:15:18It's just scared me too much.
0:15:18 > 0:15:21- It's really frightened you, hasn't it?- Yeah.
0:15:22 > 0:15:26Do you really not want to stay in that hotel tonight?
0:15:26 > 0:15:29I just feel in my head that there's no way I can stay there.
0:15:30 > 0:15:32You just want to go home?
0:15:34 > 0:15:39'Liz tries to get them a flight back to Newcastle, but there's a problem.'
0:15:39 > 0:15:43At the moment, because it's the end of the school holidays, and everything,
0:15:43 > 0:15:46every single flight seems to be full.
0:15:46 > 0:15:50I've never known it like this at all.
0:15:50 > 0:15:53I can't even get you to London and then, cos we've done that before.
0:15:53 > 0:15:56Go to London and then get trains and coaches up to where you live
0:15:56 > 0:15:59but even the London airports...
0:15:59 > 0:16:01'The girls can only get home
0:16:01 > 0:16:04'if they go around the houses and fly indirectly.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09The flight I've brought up for today goes this afternoon,
0:16:09 > 0:16:14but then you have to go to Stuttgart, change, wait two hours and 15 minutes,
0:16:14 > 0:16:18then go to Heathrow and then from Heathrow to Newcastle.
0:16:18 > 0:16:20'Not only will that journey take all day,
0:16:20 > 0:16:24'it'll cost the girls hundreds of euros that they just don't have.
0:16:24 > 0:16:28'One alternative is to move to a hotel that's further out of town,
0:16:28 > 0:16:31'and away from their friends.'
0:16:31 > 0:16:33You'll have to get a taxi from here to there,
0:16:33 > 0:16:36it's about five minutes in a taxi, but it's just a nice hotel.
0:16:36 > 0:16:40You'll be in a room together. It's very small, two English ladies that are on reception
0:16:40 > 0:16:43and just really, really nice.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46That would be about 30 euros each, a night.
0:16:48 > 0:16:50What do you think you're going to do now?
0:16:51 > 0:16:54- I really, I don't think I can stay there.- I couldn't stay there.
0:16:54 > 0:16:58I don't think I can, at all.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01'Having their room broken into has shaken the girls up
0:17:01 > 0:17:04'and not surprisingly, Emily needs the comfort of talking
0:17:04 > 0:17:07'on the phone to her mum, who's hundred of miles away.'
0:17:07 > 0:17:10When you hear a story like that you really just want to scoop them
0:17:10 > 0:17:13up in your arms, give them a big hug and tell them,
0:17:13 > 0:17:15everything is all right, because those two girls are not
0:17:15 > 0:17:18just in shock, they are really, really frightened.
0:17:18 > 0:17:20It's a tough call, really.
0:17:20 > 0:17:25They can either fly home at a cost of, what, anything from 600 to 1,000 euros
0:17:25 > 0:17:30or change hotels for between 30 and 38 euros a night.
0:17:30 > 0:17:34At least they'll be safe, if they move.
0:17:34 > 0:17:37'So, how can any of us avoid becoming victims of crime,
0:17:37 > 0:17:39like Jason, Emily and Natalie?
0:17:41 > 0:17:42'Check that your room has a decent lock
0:17:42 > 0:17:46'and make sure that you lock your doors securely behind you.
0:17:46 > 0:17:49'Take the emergency numbers of your bank and credit card providers
0:17:49 > 0:17:52'with you in case you need to report a loss, or a theft.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56'If you really do need to carry large sums of cash,
0:17:56 > 0:17:59'then use a money belt or an inside pocket.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02'Pickpockets often work in groups, so beware of distraction techniques
0:18:02 > 0:18:06'that just might divert your attention from the thief.
0:18:07 > 0:18:11'Later, I'll be taking a trip to the police station with Jason
0:18:11 > 0:18:14'and discover that he's not the day's only victim of crime.'
0:18:14 > 0:18:17I stopped a couple of police in the street, flagged them down
0:18:17 > 0:18:20and they had said we've to come to the police station in Palma Nova.
0:18:20 > 0:18:23'I'll be getting some top tips for avoiding strife.'
0:18:23 > 0:18:27You don't need all that stuff. You don't need a computer at the beach.
0:18:27 > 0:18:31'And Natalie and Emily have to decide whether to finish their holiday in Majorca,
0:18:31 > 0:18:32'or head home.'
0:18:38 > 0:18:44Collectively we make a staggering 700,000 insurance claims annually
0:18:44 > 0:18:46and every year the insurance companies pay out more
0:18:46 > 0:18:51than £400 million in compensation for our holiday mishaps.
0:18:51 > 0:18:55Maybe you lost your luggage, perhaps you had to cancel your holiday.
0:18:55 > 0:19:01Maybe you were a victim of crime, or fell sick and ended up in hospital.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04In all of those circumstances, it really is comforting to know
0:19:04 > 0:19:08that you have the protection of insurance.
0:19:08 > 0:19:12Interestingly, one in five of us travel with no insurance at all.
0:19:12 > 0:19:14Helen, is on the case.
0:19:15 > 0:19:17'It's the thought of jetting off to an exotic
0:19:17 > 0:19:20'part of the world for our annual fortnight in the sun
0:19:20 > 0:19:25'that keeps most of us going through those long, dreary winter months.'
0:19:25 > 0:19:28# In the summertime, when the weather is high
0:19:28 > 0:19:31# You can chase right up and touch the sky... #
0:19:33 > 0:19:36But for some unfortunate souls their dreams of holiday heaven
0:19:36 > 0:19:38can end in anything but.
0:19:40 > 0:19:42We couldn't wait to get out of there.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45There was a construction site going on next door.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49'I'm meeting travellers who through, no fault of their own,
0:19:49 > 0:19:52'have experienced the holiday from hell.'
0:19:53 > 0:19:55It sounds like you were a bit nervous.
0:19:55 > 0:19:59- I suppose we were just a bit apprehensive.- The heartbeat goes up.
0:19:59 > 0:20:03And I'll be doing my level best to give them new, happy holiday memories.
0:20:10 > 0:20:13'For Tony and Kirsty Barr from Blackburn, a wedding anniversary
0:20:13 > 0:20:18'was the perfect excuse to take the whole family to Marmaris in Turkey.'
0:20:18 > 0:20:23'But their dream holiday would become something they'd never forget for all the wrong reasons.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26'When the Barrs decided to eat at a local restaurant
0:20:26 > 0:20:32'their delight turned to horror, as the waiter attempted to flambe their meal.
0:20:32 > 0:20:33'Tony explains what happened.'
0:20:33 > 0:20:37We decided to book a really big, fancy, elaborate meal.
0:20:37 > 0:20:43We turned up at nine o'clock, we went upstairs to the first-floor balcony. We sat down.
0:20:44 > 0:20:46Then fish came.
0:20:46 > 0:20:50A massive fish like this with a flame all the way around.
0:20:50 > 0:20:53As it arrived, the flame started to go out,
0:20:53 > 0:20:59so the waiter grabbed a great big bottle of alcohol and started pouring it around.
0:20:59 > 0:21:03This naked flame just lit the alcohol,
0:21:03 > 0:21:06shot up into the bottle and the bottle exploded.
0:21:06 > 0:21:09Next, we've got a flamethrower on us hands.
0:21:09 > 0:21:12The flames rushed out of this bottle, straight into Kirsty's face
0:21:12 > 0:21:16- and set her hair on fire and burnt all your hair off.- Yeah.
0:21:16 > 0:21:20Burnt all her chest, all her arms. She was on fire completely.
0:21:20 > 0:21:24Then the alcohol went straight into my ear, setting me head on fire.
0:21:27 > 0:21:30'And, if all that wasn't horrific enough, there was worse to come.'
0:21:30 > 0:21:35The waiter then, this is the most devastating point,
0:21:35 > 0:21:40then like moved the bottle away and set my baby on fire in the pram.
0:21:41 > 0:21:44I'd seen Rosie on fire, so I got up and went to the pram
0:21:44 > 0:21:47to try and get her out and get the flames off her
0:21:47 > 0:21:49and I burnt my hand whilst doing it.
0:21:49 > 0:21:51She was screaming in agony. It was awful.
0:21:51 > 0:21:56- It just happened, all of a sudden, didn't it?- Yeah. It was fast.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02'The family suffered second and third degree burns,
0:22:02 > 0:22:06'only daughter, Amy, escaped unscathed.
0:22:06 > 0:22:08I remember seeing Tony for the first time
0:22:08 > 0:22:13and his skin was like hanging off him, all over.
0:22:13 > 0:22:15Off the side of his face, around his ear like that,
0:22:15 > 0:22:17there was a big flap of skin hanging down.
0:22:17 > 0:22:19It couldn't have been any worse.
0:22:19 > 0:22:24I was thinking to myself, like, "Oh my goodness, has this just really happened?"
0:22:24 > 0:22:26- We were like that, weren't we? - It was terrible.
0:22:26 > 0:22:29It was like a nightmare, weren't it?
0:22:31 > 0:22:36'The family were rushed to a local clinic, but there was a major problem.'
0:22:38 > 0:22:41Straight away, insurance, insurance.
0:22:41 > 0:22:46I looked at Kirsty and she said, "Oh, I've forgotten to get it."
0:22:46 > 0:22:50We were just packing and everything. I just forgot.
0:22:50 > 0:22:52We've never been away without insurance before
0:22:52 > 0:22:54and it's not something I'd ever skimp on.
0:22:57 > 0:22:59'The family were in hospital for over a week,
0:22:59 > 0:23:02'presented with a £3,500 medical bill
0:23:02 > 0:23:06'and had to pay, again, for their return flights home.'
0:23:07 > 0:23:10It's just an absolute sickening feeling
0:23:10 > 0:23:14because we were completely insured with everything,
0:23:14 > 0:23:17all aspects of our lives, aren't we?
0:23:17 > 0:23:20I mean, we've always added travel insurance when we've been away.
0:23:20 > 0:23:22You don't know what's around the corner, do you?
0:23:22 > 0:23:27You absolutely do not know what is around the corner waiting for you.
0:23:32 > 0:23:37The Barr family's story just goes to show that the most unexpected things can occur when you're abroad.
0:23:37 > 0:23:40Accidents do happen.
0:23:40 > 0:23:43In fact, last year more than a third of all travel insurance
0:23:43 > 0:23:45claims were for medical reasons.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49'The Barr family may have improved physically
0:23:49 > 0:23:51'but the emotional scars are still there.'
0:23:53 > 0:23:57My baby is very, very fractious and cries all the time.
0:23:57 > 0:23:58She just thinks I'm going to run away.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01She doesn't know what's happening. She's been damaged.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04Amy's been having terrors, night terrors and she didn't even get burned.
0:24:04 > 0:24:09Just to see her stepmum and her father engulfed in flames,
0:24:09 > 0:24:13she just constantly cried and is in a terrible state.
0:24:13 > 0:24:15Don't ever go on holiday without travel insurance.
0:24:16 > 0:24:22Sean Tipton from ABTA knows all too well the importance of travel insurance.
0:24:22 > 0:24:24The instance of the Barr family in Turkey just highlights
0:24:24 > 0:24:27how incredibly important it is to take out travel insurance.
0:24:27 > 0:24:29They ended up paying thousands of pounds out
0:24:29 > 0:24:31to cover their medical expenses.
0:24:31 > 0:24:33Now, in a way, it could've been a lot worse.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36If they needed skin grafts, that thousands of pounds would have run into tens,
0:24:36 > 0:24:39if not hundreds of thousands of pounds potentially.
0:24:39 > 0:24:43One of the most important things when you're buying insurance is to check the level of medical cover.
0:24:43 > 0:24:47As a rule of thumb, even the most basic insurance is better than no insurance at all.
0:24:48 > 0:24:52'Coming up, with their confidence in tatters, how will the Barrs cope
0:24:52 > 0:24:55'when we take them back to the country where they almost perished?'
0:24:55 > 0:24:59We've decided that we weren't going to go abroad again, ever, after that.
0:25:02 > 0:25:07More than 250,000 of us make a claim on our travel insurance
0:25:07 > 0:25:11for illnesses and injuries that we suffer whilst we're on holiday.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14Of course, accidents will happen.
0:25:14 > 0:25:18And here in Spain, over a thousand Brits end up in hospital
0:25:18 > 0:25:19on their holiday every year,
0:25:19 > 0:25:22with a surprising number of injuries happening
0:25:22 > 0:25:24within 24 hours of arrival.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26# SOS
0:25:26 > 0:25:27# Please someone help me... #
0:25:27 > 0:25:31Tourists young and old pass through the Spanish medical system
0:25:31 > 0:25:34with every possible ailment under the sun.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38- Went down on a curb and I just felt it snap.- It's my eyesight.
0:25:38 > 0:25:40I'm in pain.
0:25:47 > 0:25:48# Emergency
0:25:48 > 0:25:50# Paging Dr Beat... #
0:25:50 > 0:25:53With so many of us visiting Majorca every year,
0:25:53 > 0:25:56a number of 24-hour walk-in clinics have been established
0:25:56 > 0:25:59to deal with our holiday hazards.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05This clinic in Majorca can treat up to 45 Brits a day
0:26:05 > 0:26:09and has even employed British staff to help unlucky tourists.
0:26:10 > 0:26:12Sue is on reception.
0:26:12 > 0:26:15When people come aboard, you're coming to something different
0:26:15 > 0:26:17so they don't feel in their home territory.
0:26:17 > 0:26:20So to hear a voice that hasn't got an accent
0:26:20 > 0:26:23or that speaks good English is very reassuring.
0:26:23 > 0:26:28The latest patient to arrive is 22-year-old Jolene from Swansea.
0:26:28 > 0:26:31She's halfway through a week away with the girls,
0:26:31 > 0:26:33but disaster has struck.
0:26:34 > 0:26:38I got bitten by a mosquito. I think it's infected.
0:26:38 > 0:26:40# Itsy-bitsy teeny-weeny
0:26:40 > 0:26:42# Yellow polka-dot bikini... #
0:26:42 > 0:26:47It's just grown overnight. I just woke up and it looks like this.
0:26:49 > 0:26:55Jolene's teeny-weeny mozzie bite is seen by the doctor.
0:26:56 > 0:27:01- This is a very bad reaction. When did it happen?- Yesterday.
0:27:01 > 0:27:03But I woke up today and it's got bigger.
0:27:03 > 0:27:07I'll give you a cream and see you again tomorrow. OK?
0:27:07 > 0:27:08Thank you.
0:27:09 > 0:27:13The doctor's prescribed some cream. I don't think it's infected.
0:27:13 > 0:27:16That's one lucky escape for Jolene.
0:27:16 > 0:27:20Meanwhile, Sue's next patient is Essex teenager Lauren.
0:27:20 > 0:27:24On a girlie holiday, she stepped on a sea urchin.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27- How do you feel right now?- Very, very much in pain. I can't walk.
0:27:27 > 0:27:30- Much in pain?- I can't actually walk properly.
0:27:30 > 0:27:33Sea urchins lurk in rocky waters,
0:27:33 > 0:27:36burrowing in the sand or coral reefs all over the world.
0:27:38 > 0:27:40Most are non-poisonous,
0:27:40 > 0:27:44but stepping on one can leave spines buried deep in the skin.
0:27:44 > 0:27:45Pretty painful.
0:27:45 > 0:27:49And in some cases, leading to shock, infection
0:27:49 > 0:27:51and severe allergic reactions.
0:27:51 > 0:27:55What is the worst pain?
0:27:55 > 0:27:58Round here. I cannot walk on this foot.
0:27:58 > 0:28:01So, there's nothing for it but for Lauren to have them taken out.
0:28:01 > 0:28:03That hurts a lot.
0:28:03 > 0:28:06Another injection should help the pain.
0:28:06 > 0:28:10I feel like such a pansy. It's so little, but it's so much pain.
0:28:10 > 0:28:13At least she has her best friend Hannah to comfort her.
0:28:13 > 0:28:17- She can't swim.- I can't swim and I'm scared of water.
0:28:17 > 0:28:20So don't ask me why I thought it was a good idea to go in the sea.
0:28:20 > 0:28:25- A few too many drinks, I think, wasn't it? A few too many drinks. - A few too many. You're telling me!
0:28:25 > 0:28:29The walking wounded just keep on coming.
0:28:29 > 0:28:3222-year-old Phil from Hull has injured himself
0:28:32 > 0:28:35within an hour of arriving in Spain.
0:28:35 > 0:28:38I could tell that I'd hit my chin and then I went to the mirror
0:28:38 > 0:28:42- and I could see blood dripping down me.- It was dripping all down his chest.
0:28:42 > 0:28:45He went, "Have I cut my chin?"
0:28:45 > 0:28:47He took his hand away and that was it...
0:28:47 > 0:28:49Blood all over him.
0:28:49 > 0:28:51On his first day of holiday,
0:28:51 > 0:28:55Phil ended up face down on the kitchen floor rather than the beach.
0:28:57 > 0:29:02Luckily for him, this doctor is an expert in saving people's holidays.
0:29:06 > 0:29:09- That looks like it really hurts. - It doesn't at all.
0:29:09 > 0:29:12I can't feel anything. Honestly.
0:29:13 > 0:29:15OK. So we begin.
0:29:18 > 0:29:20There you are.
0:29:20 > 0:29:23Phil will need five stitches to fix his chin.
0:29:26 > 0:29:30The weird thing is that I don't know how to stitch clothes.
0:29:30 > 0:29:33Faces and bodies, I know.
0:29:33 > 0:29:37- Still got a smile on my face.- What?
0:29:37 > 0:29:40- I'm still smiling.- You're happy? - I'm really happy.
0:29:40 > 0:29:41Why are you so happy?
0:29:43 > 0:29:48Cos nothing really bad's happened. You've looked after me.
0:29:48 > 0:29:52And that's the end of it. Silly mistake.
0:29:52 > 0:29:57But it's one mistake that Phil might regret as he won't be able to go
0:29:57 > 0:29:59into the sea for 24 hours.
0:29:59 > 0:30:02I want you to come tomorrow to check how it goes.
0:30:02 > 0:30:04And if it gets infected, you may need antibiotics.
0:30:04 > 0:30:07- Thank you very much.- You're welcome.
0:30:07 > 0:30:08You've been a darling.
0:30:09 > 0:30:14- Take these to change, OK, in case you lose breath.- Cheers.- OK?
0:30:15 > 0:30:18But poor Lauren is not getting away so lightly.
0:30:18 > 0:30:20SHE GROANS
0:30:20 > 0:30:22MUSIC: "Cruel Summer" by Bananarama
0:30:28 > 0:30:30That is what hurt so...?
0:30:30 > 0:30:34- That was hurting too much. - Is it still alive?- No. It's dead.
0:30:38 > 0:30:41Stepping on a sea urchin could leave you
0:30:41 > 0:30:44with hundreds of spines embedded in your skin,
0:30:44 > 0:30:48but the relief once they've gone is palpable.
0:30:48 > 0:30:50# Hallelujah
0:30:50 > 0:30:52# Hallelujah, Hallelujah... #
0:30:52 > 0:30:56She might be spine free, but it's not all good news for Lauren.
0:30:57 > 0:30:59- Can she drink now?- No.
0:30:59 > 0:31:02Oh, I'm going... booze cruise tomorrow!
0:31:02 > 0:31:06But at least Lauren can get back to her holiday,
0:31:06 > 0:31:09though it might take her a while to hobble to her hotel.
0:31:10 > 0:31:14So what should we watch out for when we go for a dip?
0:31:14 > 0:31:17In the five years leading to 2010,
0:31:17 > 0:31:20309 UK citizens drowned whilst abroad,
0:31:20 > 0:31:23and 42 of them were children.
0:31:23 > 0:31:25So stay in lifeguarded areas.
0:31:28 > 0:31:30Don't go into the water if you've been drinking.
0:31:30 > 0:31:33You're far more likely to have an accident
0:31:33 > 0:31:35or find yourself in difficulties.
0:31:35 > 0:31:39And remember, water reflects the sun's ultraviolet light,
0:31:39 > 0:31:41so that puts you at greater risk of burning,
0:31:41 > 0:31:43even if you are feeling nice and cool.
0:31:49 > 0:31:52MUSIC: "We No Speak Americano" by Yolanda Be Cool and DCUP
0:31:52 > 0:31:54'Back on South Beach in Miami,
0:31:54 > 0:31:58'following a string of online complaints about the Cavalier Hotel,
0:31:58 > 0:32:02'Dr Lisa Ackley and I are conducting our own health and safety inspection.
0:32:04 > 0:32:08'So far, Lisa's been shocked by what she found in the bedroom.'
0:32:08 > 0:32:11- Look at that!- Oh, my goodness!
0:32:11 > 0:32:14'And has now sniffed out trouble in the ladies' loo.'
0:32:16 > 0:32:17Right.
0:32:17 > 0:32:20Overwhelming smell, as soon as we walk in here, isn't there?
0:32:20 > 0:32:24- Not so pleasant, is it?- Well... - It's very dingy.- It is.
0:32:24 > 0:32:26It's unbelievable that this is a public area,
0:32:26 > 0:32:29I mean, look at this, hair on the basin.
0:32:29 > 0:32:31It's now half past three, I was here at ten o'clock,
0:32:31 > 0:32:33that hair was on the basin then, I've got a picture of it,
0:32:33 > 0:32:36and the state of the toilet at ten o'clock was unbelievable,
0:32:36 > 0:32:40and by the smell that we have now I expect it's still the same.
0:32:40 > 0:32:41I don't want to see this.
0:32:41 > 0:32:44Oh, that's the reason for the smell and it's been like that
0:32:44 > 0:32:47since ten o'clock this morning. That is absolutely disgusting.
0:32:47 > 0:32:50Nobody has been in here to check on it or clean it.
0:32:50 > 0:32:53So that's blocked? Well and truly blocked?
0:32:53 > 0:32:55I'm really shocked that they should have
0:32:55 > 0:32:59so little pride that they can allow the customers into a room like this.
0:32:59 > 0:33:02It's unbelievable and it's a real shame.
0:33:02 > 0:33:05'And I for one can't wait to get out of here.
0:33:05 > 0:33:08'If that's what they let their paying guests see,
0:33:08 > 0:33:11'imagine what they have behind closed doors!'
0:33:13 > 0:33:15'The Cavalier rates its Crab Shack
0:33:15 > 0:33:19'as the "Number One seafood restaurant on South Beach."
0:33:19 > 0:33:22'Time to find out for ourselves.'
0:33:26 > 0:33:31I'm actually fascinated to see what Lisa uncovers in this kitchen.
0:33:31 > 0:33:33My hunch is she's going to have a field day here.
0:33:34 > 0:33:39'Within 30 seconds, Lisa has already found a potentially lethal problem.'
0:33:39 > 0:33:43Now this looks as if it's a raw area of the fridge,
0:33:43 > 0:33:47but we've also got cooked mussels here.
0:33:47 > 0:33:51Also some cooked clams.
0:33:51 > 0:33:53I'd like to see those go in the bin, actually.
0:33:53 > 0:33:55They're in such a ropey condition.
0:33:56 > 0:34:00'A Trip Advisor survey found that nearly half of us
0:34:00 > 0:34:03'have experienced food poisoning from something we ate on holiday,
0:34:03 > 0:34:07'and fish and seafood are some of the worst culprits.'
0:34:07 > 0:34:09That fish is so high.
0:34:10 > 0:34:15It's dated the 10th, I guess the 10th of November.
0:34:15 > 0:34:16That needs to go in the bin.
0:34:16 > 0:34:20'Lisa calls for the kitchen manager to see what he thinks.'
0:34:20 > 0:34:23- Can you smell that?- Yeah. - That doesn't smell good, does it?
0:34:23 > 0:34:27- Yeah, it's no good.- I think it needs to go in the bin, don't you?- Yeah.
0:34:27 > 0:34:29I think I'd feel happy if it went in the bin.
0:34:29 > 0:34:33And these as well, what's happening with these?
0:34:33 > 0:34:35'Miami is renowned for its fresh seafood.
0:34:35 > 0:34:38'But you'd be taking your life in your hands
0:34:38 > 0:34:40'tucking into some of this stuff!'
0:34:40 > 0:34:42Is this the oysters?
0:34:42 > 0:34:43The oysters...
0:34:43 > 0:34:47- It's really fresh. - Well, they don't look...
0:34:47 > 0:34:49These have been opened some time ago
0:34:49 > 0:34:52- and they're no longer alive, are they, so...- Yeah.
0:34:52 > 0:34:54They don't...
0:34:54 > 0:34:55Take out whatever is...
0:34:55 > 0:34:59- I don't think they look so good, do they?- I don't like it.- Thank you.
0:34:59 > 0:35:02'The kitchen manager may have agreed to bin the oysters,
0:35:02 > 0:35:05'but the smell of rotting fish just won't go away.'
0:35:05 > 0:35:08I'm really worried about this because we've got...
0:35:08 > 0:35:11food's being defrosted next to raw fish,
0:35:11 > 0:35:15so you've got potential for a cross contamination there.
0:35:16 > 0:35:18'Dodgy seafood is bad enough,
0:35:18 > 0:35:22'but I've found something that won't appear on any menu.'
0:35:22 > 0:35:23I moved a bit of equipment next to me
0:35:23 > 0:35:27and something ran out from underneath. I think I've trapped him.
0:35:27 > 0:35:32He's small, quite red, and looks to me like a cockroach.
0:35:35 > 0:35:38That's not what I want to see
0:35:38 > 0:35:41in the same kitchen as my lunch.
0:35:41 > 0:35:45'Cockroaches are a nightmare for spreading e-coli and salmonella,
0:35:45 > 0:35:49'but if you find one, there are usually plenty more.
0:35:49 > 0:35:50'Lisa's on the hunt.'
0:35:50 > 0:35:54Nice and warm, nice and quiet, lots of food,
0:35:54 > 0:35:56lots of drink for the cockroaches,
0:35:56 > 0:36:00and it's absolutely filthy.
0:36:01 > 0:36:03This is an American cockroach trap.
0:36:08 > 0:36:10- Oh! God! - SHE LAUGHS
0:36:15 > 0:36:17There's mice in there!
0:36:17 > 0:36:19There's a cockroach collector,
0:36:19 > 0:36:23a sticky board, so that mouse has got in there
0:36:23 > 0:36:25and died a very nasty long death.
0:36:25 > 0:36:27MUSIC: "Rat In Mi Kitchen" by UB40
0:36:28 > 0:36:32'With fish rotting in the sink, shellfish way past their best
0:36:32 > 0:36:35'and evidence of a mouse and cockroach infestation,
0:36:35 > 0:36:40'the Cavalier's kitchen has not impressed our cleanliness expert.'
0:36:40 > 0:36:43If, and I know it's a tricky question, but if you had to
0:36:43 > 0:36:47mark it out of ten, I mean, just give me an indication of how bad it is.
0:36:47 > 0:36:51- Minus one, probably.- Minus one, right, it's off the scale.- Yeah.
0:36:51 > 0:36:53OK, sounds like you've seen enough here then.
0:36:53 > 0:36:56I have seen enough and don't ask me for dinner here, please.
0:36:56 > 0:36:57Come on, then.
0:36:57 > 0:37:01'Still to come, we confront the owner with our dismal findings.'
0:37:01 > 0:37:04If we were in the UK and I was an enforcement officer, I'd be saying,
0:37:04 > 0:37:07"Look, don't sell any more food today." That's how worried I am.
0:37:12 > 0:37:16One of the great pleasures of going on holiday in a climate like this
0:37:16 > 0:37:20is returning home with that lovely, sun-kissed, golden tan.
0:37:20 > 0:37:22Well, it is for me, anyway.
0:37:22 > 0:37:24But I suppose most of us recognise
0:37:24 > 0:37:27that actually too much sun is very damaging.
0:37:27 > 0:37:30But we are just not prepared to face up to it.
0:37:30 > 0:37:33This week, in our lab, we are looking at sunburn
0:37:33 > 0:37:37and whether or not you can really tan safely.
0:37:40 > 0:37:42A recent survey found that nearly half of us
0:37:42 > 0:37:45had suffered sunburn in the last year.
0:37:49 > 0:37:53And one third of us had burned so badly, we missed a day on the beach.
0:37:57 > 0:38:00Having a tan may be healthy. It depends what kind of doctor you are
0:38:00 > 0:38:02what risks you see associated with that.
0:38:02 > 0:38:05If you are a skin doctor, you see that burning, tanning,
0:38:05 > 0:38:06it all causes skin cancer. No question.
0:38:06 > 0:38:10If you are any other kind of doctor, it may be the case that having
0:38:10 > 0:38:13a bit of sun exposure is actually quite good for you.
0:38:13 > 0:38:16No question that burning is bad for you. A burn like this,
0:38:16 > 0:38:19aside from the fact it would have ruined the holiday,
0:38:19 > 0:38:22it is very dangerous and this would have substantially increased
0:38:22 > 0:38:24this patient's risk of skin cancer.
0:38:24 > 0:38:27Explain exactly what is happening to our skin
0:38:27 > 0:38:28when we are out in the sun.
0:38:28 > 0:38:31Is it the equivalent of having first, second or third degree burns?
0:38:31 > 0:38:35Yes. There is immediately an inflammation and a burning process.
0:38:35 > 0:38:40She is literally burned by infrared radiation and ultraviolet radiation.
0:38:40 > 0:38:44But more importantly, the cosmic rays have shone through the skin
0:38:44 > 0:38:46and damaged the DNA.
0:38:46 > 0:38:48It is that radiation, the ultraviolet radiation,
0:38:48 > 0:38:51that causes mutations that lead to cancer.
0:38:53 > 0:38:57Earlier, Chris persuaded me to have a very different kind of holiday snap,
0:38:57 > 0:39:01one you don't normally see and one you might not want to.
0:39:07 > 0:39:10# You better smile. Smile... #
0:39:10 > 0:39:13My face was photographed in ultraviolet light
0:39:13 > 0:39:16to see the extent of sun damage on my skin.
0:39:17 > 0:39:20You can see this rather extraordinary photograph of you.
0:39:20 > 0:39:23I'm freckled! That is just pickled with freckles.
0:39:23 > 0:39:27You've spent a lot of time in the sun, your skin looks very good,
0:39:27 > 0:39:29but we can see evidence of chronic sun exposure.
0:39:29 > 0:39:32These dark freckles here which are very obvious on this.
0:39:32 > 0:39:35And that does mean you are at increased risk of cancer.
0:39:35 > 0:39:37We can see, if we look at some of these pictures here...
0:39:37 > 0:39:40I'll show you some pictures of some cancers.
0:39:40 > 0:39:43This, you might think, looks like a normal freckle,
0:39:43 > 0:39:46but it has some features that would make us suspicious.
0:39:46 > 0:39:51It's big, three centimetres - almost as big as the tip of my finger.
0:39:51 > 0:39:53A few months ago, that probably wouldn't have been there,
0:39:53 > 0:39:56or at least it would have been much, much smaller.
0:39:56 > 0:39:59Here we can see an uneven colour very clearly.
0:39:59 > 0:40:02This one, again, uneven colour, very irregular border
0:40:02 > 0:40:05and it's quite big, a centimetre. They can itch, they grow quickly,
0:40:05 > 0:40:07and that's why you have to go and get them seen.
0:40:07 > 0:40:09What about protection?
0:40:09 > 0:40:13Suntan bottles have always got a sun protection factor on them
0:40:13 > 0:40:15that goes anything up to 50 or 60.
0:40:15 > 0:40:19In theory, the higher the number, the longer you can spend in the sun.
0:40:19 > 0:40:21What it means it's a multiplication
0:40:21 > 0:40:24of the time you could normally spend in the sun without burning.
0:40:24 > 0:40:26If you could normally spend ten minutes in the sun,
0:40:26 > 0:40:31and you put on SPF 5, you could then spend 50 minutes in the sun.
0:40:31 > 0:40:32But it is a complicated calculation
0:40:32 > 0:40:36because you have to take into account the strength of sun,
0:40:36 > 0:40:39your skin type and lots of other things. The key thing
0:40:39 > 0:40:42is to understand how you tan and start by being really cautious.
0:40:42 > 0:40:44What if, in spite of everything we've said,
0:40:44 > 0:40:47people still go out in the sun and they still burn?
0:40:47 > 0:40:49What can we do to take the pain out of that?
0:40:49 > 0:40:51To feel better, take an anti-inflammatory,
0:40:51 > 0:40:54aspirin's a really good one. Smear some Aloe Vera.
0:40:54 > 0:40:56It won't reduce your risk of cancer,
0:40:56 > 0:40:58but it will reduce the local inflammation.
0:40:58 > 0:41:02Stay cool and rehydrate. Often after you have got a bad sunburn,
0:41:02 > 0:41:05you end up with sunstroke. That may present as diarrhoea and vomiting.
0:41:05 > 0:41:08It's about reducing your whole body inflammation
0:41:08 > 0:41:10and just treat yourself well for a day.
0:41:12 > 0:41:17Every year, 70,000 new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed in the UK,
0:41:17 > 0:41:20so it really is important to keep yourself safe in the sun.
0:41:30 > 0:41:33One with a good UVA protection.
0:41:33 > 0:41:37Apply it generously 15 to 30 minutes before going out into the sun
0:41:37 > 0:41:41and then again at least every two to three hours.
0:41:53 > 0:41:55Coming up on the programme...
0:41:55 > 0:42:00I learn more about the type of crime tourists are exposed to in Spain.
0:42:00 > 0:42:03They distract you, you get your things taken away.
0:42:03 > 0:42:07And we see how the Barr family cope when we take them back to Turkey
0:42:07 > 0:42:09where they nearly lost their lives.
0:42:11 > 0:42:14We decided that we weren't going to go abroad again, ever, after that.
0:42:17 > 0:42:20More of us complain about hotel accommodation
0:42:20 > 0:42:23than anything else to do with our holidays.
0:42:23 > 0:42:26But it does seem as if no matter how much research you do,
0:42:26 > 0:42:29you're never going to find out exactly what is in store for you
0:42:29 > 0:42:31until you actually check in.
0:42:32 > 0:42:36And that is where we come in. From grubby beds...
0:42:36 > 0:42:38Look at that. Just horrible.
0:42:38 > 0:42:39..to dirty fridges...
0:42:39 > 0:42:41You need to stop using that fridge.
0:42:41 > 0:42:44..and nasty little surprises.
0:42:44 > 0:42:45Evidence of droppings over here.
0:42:45 > 0:42:49These are some of the hidden menaces our crack team of inspectors
0:42:49 > 0:42:51are tracking down in hotels around the world.
0:42:51 > 0:42:54Colin the cockroach, he's going to have a field day in there,
0:42:54 > 0:42:55he's having a party.
0:43:03 > 0:43:05The Monteverde Hotel in Porto Cristo, Majorca,
0:43:05 > 0:43:09has been subject to a catalogue of complaints from disgruntled guests.
0:43:09 > 0:43:13It's really poor. Three blind mice could run the hotel better
0:43:13 > 0:43:15than what it's actually being ran.
0:43:15 > 0:43:18Rooms cost £50 a night
0:43:18 > 0:43:22and outraged comments online range from the attitude of staff
0:43:22 > 0:43:25to ant infestations, noisy rooms
0:43:25 > 0:43:28and worries about fire safety.
0:43:28 > 0:43:30The guests who are currently staying at the hotel
0:43:30 > 0:43:32are not too impressed either.
0:43:32 > 0:43:36We booked four rooms, we finished up with three rooms.
0:43:36 > 0:43:38Four in one room, two in another and three in another.
0:43:38 > 0:43:43My husband is disabled and they put him on the seventh floor.
0:43:43 > 0:43:48There's only one lift. The other lift is broken. I am just appalled.
0:43:48 > 0:43:51It's what you call a holiday from hell.
0:43:53 > 0:43:57So we've sent in Sam Delamore, guru of health and safety.
0:43:57 > 0:44:00In her ten years of inspecting hotels and public spaces,
0:44:00 > 0:44:03she has seen more dirt than a bin man.
0:44:03 > 0:44:05It's her mission in life to protect us all.
0:44:08 > 0:44:09Ola.
0:44:09 > 0:44:12Same has flown in to help manager Juan Antonio find out why
0:44:12 > 0:44:14so many of his guests are unhappy.
0:44:14 > 0:44:17Sure enough, as soon as Sam looks at the alarm system,
0:44:17 > 0:44:19there is a massive problem.
0:44:19 > 0:44:25The emergency lighting, that comes on, even if there is a power failure?
0:44:25 > 0:44:27I think that would now be off
0:44:27 > 0:44:30because is not...is not...is not on the two lights.
0:44:30 > 0:44:33It's not switched on?
0:44:33 > 0:44:35I think that this is not switched on.
0:44:35 > 0:44:39Hotels are legally required to provide adequate escape lighting,
0:44:39 > 0:44:42so this is a serious fault that needs to be rectified.
0:44:42 > 0:44:45- Do you have any problems with bedbugs?- No.
0:44:45 > 0:44:48They live on the bed area, bite people?
0:44:48 > 0:44:52No, I see photos of these, but we do not have these things.
0:44:52 > 0:44:56It's just quite common with international travel.
0:44:56 > 0:44:59The bugs travel on people's suitcases
0:44:59 > 0:45:02and they can take them from place to place.
0:45:02 > 0:45:05Sam's next port of call is the swimming pool
0:45:05 > 0:45:07where she tests the chlorine levels.
0:45:07 > 0:45:09Bacteria love water and warmth
0:45:09 > 0:45:13and pools can harbour extremely nasty bugs if not properly managed.
0:45:15 > 0:45:17I think the chlorine levels are quite low.
0:45:17 > 0:45:21We can see here that you have obviously got some...
0:45:21 > 0:45:25This is maybe a person that is maybe doing the wrong thing in the pool.
0:45:25 > 0:45:27- Yeah.- You don't see the person.
0:45:27 > 0:45:29They all look nice there.
0:45:35 > 0:45:38This pool could be home to any number of bacteria that could
0:45:38 > 0:45:40seriously damage your health.
0:45:46 > 0:45:50Sam finishes her inspection by taking food samples to test.
0:45:52 > 0:45:54Buffet bars can be a real health hazard
0:45:54 > 0:45:57and salads are always likely to be the worst offenders.
0:46:00 > 0:46:04If you're worried about hygiene standards, keep to cooked foods
0:46:04 > 0:46:07and bring your own fruit to the table.
0:46:07 > 0:46:10These samples will be sent to the local lab.
0:46:10 > 0:46:13Sam has seen enough. It's time to tell manager Juan Antonio
0:46:13 > 0:46:15the results of her inspection.
0:46:15 > 0:46:17She's not best pleased.
0:46:17 > 0:46:22Ono checking the chlorine levels in the pool, the chlorine levels
0:46:22 > 0:46:26were quite low and also the pool had quite a lot of dirt and debris.
0:46:26 > 0:46:30This is a thing, that coming a little bit windy
0:46:30 > 0:46:32and with the trees, a little bit...
0:46:32 > 0:46:34Yes, it's not just leaves.
0:46:34 > 0:46:37It looks like a scum layer is forming.
0:46:37 > 0:46:41We have three filters that is cleaning every day this thing.
0:46:41 > 0:46:45You might just need to check that your filters are working properly.
0:46:45 > 0:46:47This is checked.
0:46:47 > 0:46:54- Maybe I explain to you that maybe one person do a wrong thing.- OK.
0:46:56 > 0:47:00Job done. Sam is back to the UK to put her food samples in for testing.
0:47:00 > 0:47:02Later, she got the results
0:47:02 > 0:47:06which revealed levels of E. Coli and listeria.
0:47:07 > 0:47:10A consumer going into that hotel,
0:47:10 > 0:47:13standards are definitely not what you would expect.
0:47:15 > 0:47:19Since Sam's visit, the Monteverde has closed for the winter.
0:47:19 > 0:47:21We can only hope that Juan Antonio
0:47:21 > 0:47:24uses this time to act on Sam's recommendations
0:47:24 > 0:47:28and gives future guests the three star service they deserve.
0:47:34 > 0:47:37# Help! I need somebody... #
0:47:37 > 0:47:40Back in Magaluf on the island of Majorca, travel agents
0:47:40 > 0:47:44Liz and Charlotte are still busy helping tourists in trouble.
0:47:45 > 0:47:48Liz has arranged for their translator Isobel
0:47:48 > 0:47:51to accompany DJ Jason to the police station.
0:47:53 > 0:47:57But first, I want to ask Isobel about the problem of local pick pockets.
0:47:57 > 0:48:01They go in groups often, they are very young ladies.
0:48:01 > 0:48:04They dress normal
0:48:04 > 0:48:06and you would not expect,
0:48:06 > 0:48:11they just surround you and begin to chat and, in the meantime,
0:48:11 > 0:48:14they distract you, you get your things taken away.
0:48:16 > 0:48:18On the way to the police station, Isobel tells us
0:48:18 > 0:48:22more about the dangers of taking a trip to the strip.
0:48:23 > 0:48:26I think it is one of the most dangerous places
0:48:26 > 0:48:30in all of the island. All things happen here, on that strip.
0:48:30 > 0:48:34On that little area. It is concentrated there.
0:48:34 > 0:48:36You get very angry about it, don't you?
0:48:36 > 0:48:40It upsets me because it is so sad. It is really sad.
0:48:40 > 0:48:44These young boys and girls so often get robbed and things like that.
0:48:44 > 0:48:47As well rapes, very often, on the beach.
0:48:47 > 0:48:51It is really nasty. It gets me angry.
0:48:55 > 0:48:58For the next few hours, Jason's holiday is going to be spent
0:48:58 > 0:49:03making a statement at the Spanish police station for Magaluf.
0:49:03 > 0:49:07Jason and Isobel are now going to go in, make a report of the robbery
0:49:07 > 0:49:12and try and give them a description of the women that were involved.
0:49:12 > 0:49:15With a bit of luck, the police may be able to identify them,
0:49:15 > 0:49:18they may get that necklace back for Jason.
0:49:18 > 0:49:20But if not, at least he will have an official police report
0:49:20 > 0:49:23which he can give to his insurance company.
0:49:23 > 0:49:26But Jason is not the only Brit here this morning.
0:49:26 > 0:49:30You're just about to go into the police station, what brings you here?
0:49:30 > 0:49:33We took my father into Santa Ponsa yesterday, a place he has been
0:49:33 > 0:49:35many years ago and wanted to go back and see what it was like.
0:49:35 > 0:49:38And someone stole his wallet out his back pocket.
0:49:38 > 0:49:39It had sentimental things.
0:49:39 > 0:49:42Grandchildren, great-grandchildren pictures,
0:49:42 > 0:49:44so that is what he is more concerned about.
0:49:44 > 0:49:46We stopped a couple of police in the street, flagged them down,
0:49:46 > 0:49:49and they said he had to come to the police station in Palma Nova.
0:49:49 > 0:49:52So we just left it until today. So this is us, last day of our holiday
0:49:52 > 0:49:54traipsing up to the police station.
0:49:54 > 0:49:57So how do you stay out of trouble when you are abroad?
0:50:01 > 0:50:04And if you do, don't wear it on the big night out.
0:50:04 > 0:50:05You'll only attract trouble.
0:50:08 > 0:50:10It's the easiest place to pick pocket,
0:50:10 > 0:50:12so don't keep your wallet or your phone there.
0:50:12 > 0:50:16Empty your purse or wallet of all nonessentials.
0:50:16 > 0:50:19The more bulging it looks, the more tempting it is for thieves.
0:50:21 > 0:50:25And do be careful about wandering off on your own.
0:50:32 > 0:50:34Back at the office, there's good news
0:50:34 > 0:50:38because Liz has managed to find a safer hotel for Emily and Natalie.
0:50:38 > 0:50:42The teenagers have decided to see out their holiday.
0:50:44 > 0:50:46I'm just going to write you a receipt, girls,
0:50:46 > 0:50:51do your payment and then you can go round there, your room's ready.
0:50:51 > 0:50:55You've got a smile on your face and you've got suitcases.
0:50:55 > 0:50:58You've obviously made the decision to move?
0:50:59 > 0:51:03- Your friends didn't want to come with you?- They're all right there.
0:51:03 > 0:51:07- We hope you enjoy the rest of your holiday.- Thank you.- Take care.
0:51:07 > 0:51:09Bye.
0:51:12 > 0:51:14They're so young, they're only 18.
0:51:14 > 0:51:17Putting them in another hotel where they feel safe,
0:51:17 > 0:51:21where they've got security, they've got cameras, key cards,
0:51:21 > 0:51:25to me, I feel they can enjoy the last three days of their holiday.
0:51:34 > 0:51:36Back on South Beach in Miami,
0:51:36 > 0:51:39it's the moment of truth for the Cavalier Hotel.
0:51:40 > 0:51:43Online reviewers have been scathing about this place,
0:51:43 > 0:51:46complaining of its filthy corridors,
0:51:46 > 0:51:49bug-infested beds and disgusting levels of hygiene.
0:51:52 > 0:51:56With feedback like this, there seemed only one thing to do.
0:51:56 > 0:51:57Book myself a room.
0:51:57 > 0:52:00Joe Crowley checking in.
0:52:00 > 0:52:02Health and safety expert Dr Lisa Ackerley and I
0:52:02 > 0:52:05have been examining every nook and cranny
0:52:05 > 0:52:10and have discovered that this really is a hotel of horrors.
0:52:10 > 0:52:11That needs to go in the bin.
0:52:11 > 0:52:16So we've summoned hotel manager Ralph to discuss our findings.
0:52:17 > 0:52:22The female restroom, one of the toilets is in a really bad state.
0:52:22 > 0:52:24- Really?- And it has been all day.
0:52:24 > 0:52:27It's blocked and it's really not nice at all.
0:52:27 > 0:52:29No-one was checking that room
0:52:29 > 0:52:32because the same hairs were on the basin all day long.
0:52:32 > 0:52:35From ten o'clock through to now.
0:52:35 > 0:52:39We also did a test for dust mites on the mattress using a Hoover
0:52:39 > 0:52:41and a special kit.
0:52:41 > 0:52:43We actually found
0:52:43 > 0:52:47there is quite a high level of dust mite on the mattress.
0:52:47 > 0:52:48Moving onto the kitchen.
0:52:48 > 0:52:52I'm afraid we did find some cockroaches today and a dead mouse.
0:52:52 > 0:52:57And I'm not surprised, given the level of dirt that was underneath
0:52:57 > 0:53:00that area, that you've got an infestation there.
0:53:00 > 0:53:03One of the things I was worried about in the chiller
0:53:03 > 0:53:06is you had no idea how long that stuff had been in there.
0:53:06 > 0:53:10It's not there very long. We turn the food around very, very fast.
0:53:10 > 0:53:13If we were in the UK and I was an enforcement officer,
0:53:13 > 0:53:15I'd be saying, don't sell any more food today,
0:53:15 > 0:53:17I'm going to close you while you get cleaned up.
0:53:17 > 0:53:20- That's how worried I am. - Is this news to you?
0:53:20 > 0:53:23Were you aware that the place was not as clean as it could be?
0:53:23 > 0:53:26Do you feel on top of all the cleaning?
0:53:26 > 0:53:28We're aware of it now.
0:53:28 > 0:53:31Every once in a while, we do do a deep cleaning,
0:53:31 > 0:53:33but we probably need to do it more often.
0:53:33 > 0:53:36It seems to be a bit out of control from what Lisa has said.
0:53:36 > 0:53:38I'm not sure it is out of control
0:53:38 > 0:53:41other than they probably were a little lazy.
0:53:41 > 0:53:44They know what they're supposed to do.
0:53:44 > 0:53:46Those are things I'll look into right now.
0:53:46 > 0:53:49It just needs to be taken by the scruff of the neck
0:53:49 > 0:53:50and given a bit of a shake.
0:53:50 > 0:53:52It doesn't seem that anyone knows
0:53:52 > 0:53:55who is responsible for the bathrooms downstairs and cleaning those.
0:53:55 > 0:53:58Just refreshing everyone's responsibilities, geeing them up
0:53:58 > 0:54:00and putting some good systems in place.
0:54:00 > 0:54:03And the attitude that makes these things possible.
0:54:03 > 0:54:05Absolutely. I agree.
0:54:07 > 0:54:11'I really hope Ralph takes Lisa's findings seriously.
0:54:11 > 0:54:13'Right now, he seems to be making the right noises.'
0:54:15 > 0:54:18That was very good feedback.
0:54:18 > 0:54:21These are the kind of things you typically don't get to see
0:54:21 > 0:54:23when you're sitting behind a desk
0:54:23 > 0:54:25and you don't go upstairs all the time.
0:54:25 > 0:54:29I'm going to get started on those recommendations tomorrow morning.
0:54:31 > 0:54:34Fingers crossed we've now saved this hotel's reputation.
0:54:40 > 0:54:42Remember the Barr family?
0:54:42 > 0:54:46They suffered second and third degree burns while on holiday in Turkey.
0:54:48 > 0:54:49It was a shocking tale
0:54:49 > 0:54:53and a country they once loved became a place of bad memories.
0:54:53 > 0:54:56The accident affected the family physically, emotionally
0:54:56 > 0:54:58and financially.
0:54:58 > 0:55:01Kirsty and Tony have even been put off going abroad ever again.
0:55:02 > 0:55:06To help them overcome their ordeal, we've invited the family
0:55:06 > 0:55:09back to Turkey to put their last trip firmly in the past.
0:55:14 > 0:55:17We have brought the Barrs to Bodrum on the Turkish coast
0:55:17 > 0:55:19where I'm catching up with them.
0:55:19 > 0:55:21When we got invited to come back to Turkey,
0:55:21 > 0:55:26- the thought of it just put terror in you... You were frightened.- Yes.
0:55:26 > 0:55:30Once you've been involved in a freak accident like that,
0:55:30 > 0:55:32it just makes you aware that these things do happen.
0:55:32 > 0:55:34It's just made us nervy in general.
0:55:36 > 0:55:39I know you said you were nervy and anxious about coming
0:55:39 > 0:55:43but, physically, how are you coping? You look as if you're healing.
0:55:43 > 0:55:46I'm fine. I just got a few burns here and there.
0:55:46 > 0:55:50I couldn't go to work for about three months. I was off work.
0:55:50 > 0:55:52It took its toll.
0:55:52 > 0:55:54Was it just Turkey you were worried about
0:55:54 > 0:55:57- or did it put you off travel altogether?- Anything abroad.
0:55:57 > 0:56:01We decided that we weren't going to go abroad again ever after that.
0:56:02 > 0:56:05Hopefully, a bit of family fun in the sun
0:56:05 > 0:56:07will help them change their minds.
0:56:09 > 0:56:11The whole point of this is to give the family
0:56:11 > 0:56:15better lasting memories of Turkey and, so far, I think it's working.
0:56:23 > 0:56:25That is amazing.
0:56:27 > 0:56:31That evening, I'm keen to find out whether the trip has been a success.
0:56:32 > 0:56:37You didn't want to come back, but I'm glad you did. How's it been?
0:56:37 > 0:56:40We've had a really good time. We're going to come back again.
0:56:40 > 0:56:42- You're going to come back?- Definitely.
0:56:42 > 0:56:44You were saying you were never flying again,
0:56:44 > 0:56:47let alone going to Turkey, never going on a foreign holiday
0:56:47 > 0:56:50and you're here saying you might come back in a month!
0:56:50 > 0:56:55- It's what happened.- Has it helped you draw a line under what happened?
0:56:55 > 0:56:58I think, half of it. The physical things are going,
0:56:58 > 0:57:00but the mental things would never have gone.
0:57:00 > 0:57:02- They just get bigger and bigger. - That's the trouble.
0:57:02 > 0:57:05Do you think if you hadn't come back,
0:57:05 > 0:57:08this could have become something insurmountable?
0:57:08 > 0:57:11Little molehills become mountains if you don't overcome them.
0:57:11 > 0:57:16You learn by your mistakes. Don't travel without travel insurance.
0:57:16 > 0:57:19Holiday insurance should be compulsory.
0:57:19 > 0:57:21Like to drive a car, you have car insurance.
0:57:21 > 0:57:24I think they should make it compulsory.
0:57:24 > 0:57:27I'm delighted that you came and thank you for letting me gatecrash your holiday.
0:57:27 > 0:57:32- To the Barrs and many more foreign trips.- Cheers!
0:57:32 > 0:57:34# Today this could be
0:57:34 > 0:57:38# The greatest day of our lives... #
0:57:43 > 0:57:46That is it from the Holiday Hit Squad for this week.
0:57:46 > 0:57:48On next week's programme...
0:57:48 > 0:57:51I'm in Greece where a rundown hotel's health and safety manual
0:57:51 > 0:57:53seems to have gone up in smoke.
0:57:53 > 0:57:56The smoke alarm, where is it? There isn't one.
0:57:58 > 0:57:59We're with a couple
0:57:59 > 0:58:03whose view from their Thai hotel was a work in progress.
0:58:03 > 0:58:06There was just a construction site going on next door.
0:58:06 > 0:58:10And we're in Spain at the one place you don't want to visit as a tourist.
0:58:10 > 0:58:14- He said that it's broken. - It is broken?- Yes.
0:58:16 > 0:58:19- Until the next time, from all of us, goodbye.- Goodbye.- Goodbye.