Episode 4 Holiday Hit Squad


Episode 4

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Right now, the holiday-booking industry is at its peak.

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Millions of you are flicking through holiday brochures,

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deciding where you're going to spend your two weeks in the sun,

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so that you can dispel those winter blues.

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# The sun is shining in the sky

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# There ain't a cloud in sight #

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When it's our money, we put our faith in the holiday industry in the hope it delivers.

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But things can go wrong and dream holidays can end in disaster.

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This naked flame just lit the alcohol

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-and set my baby on fire in the pram.

-She was screaming in agony.

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It was just a complete construction site going on next door.

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It's what you call a holiday from hell.

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We are the holiday hit squad and our mission, quite simply,

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is to ensure you get the best holiday possible

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by sharing with you some of the tricks of the trade.

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I'll be delving in to some downright dodgy hotels

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on a mission to put things right.

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-Got this awful smell coming up.

-Oh, that's strong, isn't it?

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Three blind mice could run the hotel better than what it's being run.

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We'll be access all areas in some of the favourite holiday hot spots for British travellers.

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Getting an insider view of the perils and pitfalls that face us all.

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Do you think people underestimate the effect that the heat

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can have on them when they're on holiday?

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And I'm turning disasters into dreams come true for some unlucky victim

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-of holidays from hell.

-That is amazing.

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Coming up on the programme.

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-Horror on the highways.

-There was this bang on the back of the car.

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I didn't know what was going on.

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The Tenerife three-star with unwanted extras.

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They're all over this mattress. All over the floor underneath.

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And the deadly craze that's costing British lives.

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It's very difficult to explain to somebody,

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you have to take them home in a casket.

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But first.

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# We're all going on a summer holiday

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# No more working for a week or two #

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We slave all year to earn the money for our summer fun in the sun.

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Which makes it all the more galling when our digs don't live up to the hype.

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# It's not fair and I think you're really mean #

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So we're travelling the world on a mission to uncover those heartbreak hotels

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and bring them up to scratch.

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Today, I'm joining the four million Brits who head to the Canary Islands every year.

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BELL RINGS

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I've just arrived in Tenerife, a really popular destination for Brits abroad.

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I'm about to check in at Malibu Park, a huge complex of apartments.

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A lot of people who have stayed here don't think it's up to scratch.

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Well, time to see it for myself.

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Set in the hills above Playa de las Americas, the apartments may have a pretty setting.

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But they've drawn online complaints

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ranging from dirty beds and bad smells

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to poor maintenance and rampant cockroaches.

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Rooms cost up to £70 per night. Can it really be that bad?

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Well, for queen and country, I'm prepared to pay the ultimate sacrifice to find out.

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Oh, it's quite a big apartment actually.

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So we have kitchen, sitting room, obviously a spare bed.

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TV. Seems all right.

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Fairly well done. And in the bedroom.

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Very good. Towel swan. Nice touch.

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There's a slight smell...

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A little bit of that musty smell.

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Then the windows open...

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Looks like they do. In fact, there's a cracked pain there.

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And further along.

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It looks a bit dangerous actually. The glass is slightly bent there.

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The bathroom's over here.

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Um, yeah.

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Bath has seen better days. Bit grubby around the tiles.

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Not the most inviting place to spend the night.

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The next morning, I called in the big guns.

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Health and safety superman Mike Williams is here to cast his X-ray vision

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over the Malibu Park Hotel and Apartments

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and report back to the owners.

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First stop, one of the apartments.

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But we've been beaten to it by an unwelcome guest.

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Already thinking, I can see cockroaches. A dead cockroach.

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-He's twitching, not quite dead.

-He's pretty dead.

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Cockroaches are a problem because they carry bacteria.

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They're known as a food pest.

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If they come into contact with food, they will eat the food and, from that perspective,

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pass the bacteria onto the food that you are potentially eating.

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Cockroaches can pass on all kinds of nasty diseases,

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including salmonella, dysentery, and even typhoid.

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-Good rule with a cockroach, never stand on one.

-Why not?

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They carry their eggs, when you stamp on one, you'll kill that cockroach,

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but you'll pick their eggs up and spread them around.

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Some species of cockroach can produce up to 20,000 young during their lifetime.

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This is the... This is like a spare bed.

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-Yes. Now, straightaway I can see there's little black spots...

-Yeah.

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..on the actual mattress cover. I can't be certain but these do look

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-like cockroach droppings.

-They're all over this mattress.

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They're all over the floor underneath.

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Actually, looking further under the bed, there are two dead cockroaches underneath.

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Not a good feeling. If I was staying here,

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I don't know if I'd be on the spare bed but if I was staying here,

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to think that this bed has cockroaches

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-crawling over it.

-It's not nice.

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Unfortunately for us, cockroaches thrive in warm humid temperatures,

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which is why you will often find them at your holiday destination.

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There's another horror lurking behind the shower curtain.

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Limescale might look harmless but it can be deadly.

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The problem with scale is that the Legionella bacteria needs something to feed off.

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And it will feed off scale, basically.

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So if the shower heads aren't kept clean, then they're a potential reservoir for Legionella bacteria.

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It's a bacteria that lives in water.

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But we only pick it up as a problem if we inhale it into our lungs.

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We can drink a glass of water which is absolutely full of Legionella bacteria,

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straight into your stomach, not a problem.

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But if you manage to breathe it in, then it can be a problem.

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From my point of view, if I'm staying in a bathroom, as I was last night, what can I do?

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I had a shower out of a slightly scaly head. What can I do?

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One of the simple things is, the first time you use the shower,

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take the shower head off, place it in the bottom of the bath and turn it on.

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Leave it to run for a few seconds, maybe a minute. That will help

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clear anything out of the shower head.

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We'd recommend they take the shower heads off, descale them and clean them thoroughly.

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You would hope that daily cleaning would clean the shower head, the external surfaces as well.

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The symptoms of Legionnaires' disease are flu-like, and like flu it can be deadly.

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Around 120 Brits picked up this virus on holiday in 2011.

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Later, things go from bad to shocking.

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-Being next to a children's play area.

-That's just unexcusable.

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With picture-postcard beaches and balmy weather,

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the Balearic Islands are one of our all-time favourite destinations.

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Around 3½ million of us visit every year.

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There's a huge infrastructure here dedicated to looking after the Great British holidaymaker.

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And I'll be spending time with some of the professionals on the frontline.

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to learn just how we can keep ourselves out of trouble.

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Today, a little oasis of Britain abroad.

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SIREN WAILS

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I'm heading off to spend the morning with the British consulate in Palma.

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This tiny office has responsibility for the entire Balearic region.

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And it is one of the busiest British consulates in the world.

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# I need help!

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# Hey!

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# I can't do it alone, no! #

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The Palma office deals with a daily deluge of desperate Brits.

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-My bag was stolen.

-I lost my passport, money and equipment.

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We'll deal with deaths, we'll deal with arrests, we'll deal with accidents,

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we'll deal with people being imprisoned. And everywhere in between.

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Consul Paul Abrey is at the helm.

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-We're embarking on a voyage of adventure.

-Absolutely.

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-Who knows what will come through the door?

-Let's go and have a look.

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And I don't have to wait long for a crisis.

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I think we've got an unusual case.

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This young man's passport somehow has been chewed up at the airport.

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As a result, he can't get a flight home.

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15-year-old Daniel had been holidaying with his grandad Malcolm.

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On his way home, his passport went in one end of the airport hand-baggage scanner

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but it didn't come out at the other.

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Malcolm is desperate to get him home to his mum.

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-They wouldn't let him leave the country?

-No.

-Even though he had the boarding pass.

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We were surprised about that because we thought they'd got the...

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On the flight records, they've got the passport number and everything.

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But they said they didn't think he'd be able to get out of Gatwick without a passport.

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The consulate will only issue travellers with an emergency travel document

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if they have evidence of a flight home.

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As soon as we can confirm that he's got a flight, the flight is paid for and he's booked on a flight,

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they are the details we can put on an emergency passport and we're done.

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But that's easier said than done.

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It's a bank holiday and the airlines have been booked up for months.

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# We've got to get out of this place

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# If it's the last thing we ever do #

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-At the moment, you don't know how long you're going to have to be here.

-No.

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While Paul and his staff scour the airlines for a spare seat back to Blighty,

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the office is filling up with more Brits in a bind.

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Brenda lost her bag the moment she arrived at the airport.

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-Passport you need.

-I need a passport.

-You've lost your credit cards and everything.

-Credit cards.

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-You've cancelled all those?

-Oh, yes.

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-Do you know where you lost it?

-In the gent's toilets.

-What were you doing in the gent's?

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We were coming off the plane and the ladies' wouldn't let us in.

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I was with another lady. We went into the toilet.

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I must've put it... Because it was messy. Hung it on the back.

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So glad to get out because it's the men's toilets.

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And then, when I get to the hotel, no bag, no nothing.

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It costs £95 for an emergency travel document.

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And it's only valid for your journey home. But Brenda won't let this ruin her holiday.

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What do I do? I don't smile, do I? No.

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That's it.

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'Attention. Please close the curtain on your left.'

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-Better close this.

-'Press the green button to take the photo.'

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Green button? Where's the green button?

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More than 60,000 British passports are either lost or stolen abroad every year.

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But, in less than an hour, Brenda's temporary passport is ready.

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-There you are.

-Oh, thank goodness for that.

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After she finally worked out the machine.

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But where are you going to put this one?

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-Safely in my bag.

-And where are you going to put the bag?

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Keep it very close to my body.

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Like many of us, Brenda let her guard down because she was on holiday

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and fell victim to an opportunist thief.

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But what can we do avoid a lost passport ruining our holiday?

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First of all, keep your passport somewhere safe,

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either on your person or in the hotel safe.

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Make copies of you passport, take one with you and store another online in a secure-data website.

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And if the worst does happen, report your loss to the police or consulate immediately

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in order to avoid becoming the victim of identity fraud.

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Later, I'll be finding out about British tourists

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who are deliberately putting themselves in harm's way.

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# Let the sun shine, let the sun shine, baby

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# Let the sun shine #

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I want you to picture the scene.

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You're driving along a Spanish road, enjoying the countryside and view.

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Suddenly, there are horns blaring, someone is trying to flag you down.

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What do you do? Do you wind up the window and just carry on?

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Or do you stop and try to help?

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Helen reports now on the latest scam aimed at British tourists.

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I've been meeting travellers who, through no fault of their own,

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have experienced the holiday from hell and doing my best to repair the damage.

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Hello.

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Having a car abroad can be fantastic.

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You can go to different places, see different sights, and get away from busy tourist resorts.

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But having a British number plate, or a car with hire-car stickers on,

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can mark you out as a target.

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This footage taken from a CCTV camera on a Spanish motorway

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looks like one motorist helping another.

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But there's a more sinister reality.

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It's actually an audacious highway robbery.

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In 2009, keen birdwatchers Joy and Alan Horton

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were heading for a special treat in the Spanish Pyrenees,

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spotting rare birds of prey.

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On the motorway heading past Barcelona, Alan spotted

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another car in his rear-view mirror.

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I was conscious of a car coming up very quickly

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and very close. For a moment, I wondered if I was in the right lane or not.

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Then there was this bang on the back of the car.

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I thought, "Oh, my God!"

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It sounded as if either his car had hit ours or ours had hit his.

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Thinking the right thing to do was to stop and exchange insurance details,

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the couple immediately found a spot to pull over.

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The man got out of the car, came round to the passenger-door side,

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when Alan got out and met him round the side of the car.

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I was trying to see what was wrong with his car.

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I couldn't see a scratch, I couldn't see anything. I didn't know what was going on.

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The man was getting angrier and angrier.

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And more aggressive. Because I was so riveted by what was going on,

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and so concerned for Alan's safety,

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I didn't in notice anything that was going on around me.

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And, of course, this is what the scammers were banking on.

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While one of them was causing a distraction, his accomplice

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had gone round to the rear passenger door of Joy and Alan's car.

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The car engine revved and they disappeared at a tremendous speed, leaving us in a cloud of dust.

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And we were sat in the car, looking at one another, wondering what on earth had gone on.

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Only to find absolutely everything on the back seat had gone.

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Passports, driving licences, cash.

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-Well, everything that was in our carry bags.

-Camera. Everything in our carry bags, yes.

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You just sort of go cold.

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Joy and Alan lost more than £1,000 and their dream of making it to the Pyrenees was smashed.

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But more than that, the experience has taken a terrible emotional toll on the couple.

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Once I got over the initial shock, and there is a shock,

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to the stage where I was shaking

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and sort of not wanting to go out of the bedroom.

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I didn't like the crowds around me.

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I kept putting my hand on my jacket pocket to make sure my wallet was still there.

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Um, it really went quite deep,

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far deeper than I thought it was going to go.

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Alan and Joy are not alone.

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Last year, the British consulate received 140 reports

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of similar incidents across Spain and France.

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And now the Foreign Office is warning drivers to be particularly vigilant.

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Later, I'll find out how you can avoid the highway robbers

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and try to help Alan and Joy overcome their fears

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by taking the couple back to Spain.

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Things like crowds, the heartbeat goes up.

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Still.

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BARKS

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MUSIC: "A-Punk" by Vampire Weekend

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Every year, more than 36 million of us fly to different parts of the world

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for our annual summer holidays.

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From the tropical beaches of the Caribbean to the ancient culture of Egypt

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or nightlife of Thailand. It's our annual reward for putting up with our day-to-day lives at home.

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# Ey! Ey! Ey! Ey! #

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But some guest arriving at the Malibu Park Apartments in Tenerife

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feel like they've drawn the booby prize.

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And they've not been shy to air their feelings.

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Man!

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So, health and safety inspector Mike and I are investigating what all the fuss is about.

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We've unearthed rampant roaches.

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And hidden health hazards.

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If the shower heads aren't kept clean, they're a potential reservoir for Legionella bacteria.

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Now we want to check out what should be one of the highlights.

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The thing that stands out to me really with the pool tank

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-is, first, there's no grouting in a lot of the tiles.

-Right.

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-Secondly, when we look down the edge, there's actually some algae.

-Oh, is there?

-Yeah.

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-These little black marks.

-There's loads of it.

-Those black lines.

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It's not endemic of saying the pool water's in bad condition.

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But the pool itself clearly isn't fully clean.

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Surely, just giving it a proper scrub will dislodge it.

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The black algae show the pool isn't being cleaned properly.

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Meaning, any harmful bacteria on the bodies of swimmers aren't being destroyed

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and could cause illness.

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The shower tiles look like they need some attention too.

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Missing tiles, sharp edges, potentially cut your feet.

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If you've got kids, you don't want them running around here,

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-potentially cutting their feet open.

-No, you don't.

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OK.

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And there are other pitfalls for little fingers and toes.

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If we look here, there's quite a big gap.

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-Yeah. It's a bit raised up, isn't it?

-It's a bit raised.

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But just outside the play area, the real shocker

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was the garden lights.

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The wires are actually damaged.

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So much so that we've actually got cables inside.

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-Wow! Definitely not touching that. You can see the copper wiring.

-Yes, absolutely

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That's just unexcusable to have potentially live wires like that.

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It's time we confronted the Malibu Park Apartments assistant manager Jacho with the problems.

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First, those dodgy electrics.

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The wiring was fully exposed,

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so quite a big risk of a child getting an electric shock.

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-OK.

-You have maintenance guys here, do you?

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-Yeah.

-It's probably worth looking at all the lights there

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-to see what's what.

-We will try to fix.

0:21:120:21:14

Next, the scaly shower heads that could be a breeding ground for deadly Legionella.

0:21:140:21:20

The shower heads we looked at, there was a lot of scale.

0:21:210:21:24

If you clean the shower heads more often,

0:21:240:21:28

that will remove that problem.

0:21:280:21:31

There is 245 apartments.

0:21:310:21:34

You could maybe have them programme to clean, say, ten shower heads,

0:21:340:21:39

or five per day, every day, just on a cycle.

0:21:390:21:43

And then there's the problem that's really been bugging guests.

0:21:430:21:47

I think you're aware there are cockroaches in the hotel.

0:21:480:21:52

Yeah. We tried to fix that problem every day, every month, every year.

0:21:520:21:58

It's clear to see that you do treat the rooms to kill the cockroaches.

0:21:580:22:03

We found very small, so baby, plus adults.

0:22:030:22:08

What I would recommend is, the treatment that you do,

0:22:080:22:13

is just to increase how often you treat and, hopefully, that will break the cycle.

0:22:130:22:18

Mike also points out the broken tiles and trip hazards in the children's playground.

0:22:200:22:25

We will improve all the things.

0:22:250:22:28

And we want every guest staying here for their holidays

0:22:290:22:36

to enjoy their holidays and repeat their holidays here in Tenerife.

0:22:360:22:42

Jacho seems to be making all the right noises.

0:22:420:22:45

We'll be back later to see if he puts his money where his mouth is.

0:22:450:22:50

Still to some on the Holiday Hit Squad.

0:22:570:23:00

I'm back at the consulate with more British travellers who are stranded abroad.

0:23:000:23:05

Are you crying on your holiday?

0:23:050:23:07

Oh!

0:23:070:23:09

We check out a Caribbean hotel that doesn't scrub up well.

0:23:090:23:13

I'm not sure what these are

0:23:130:23:15

on this toilet seat.

0:23:150:23:17

And I try to conjure up some magic memories for our victims of the holiday from hell.

0:23:170:23:22

It's just so beautiful.

0:23:240:23:26

It's the last thing that you want but I'm sure that, at some time or another,

0:23:290:23:34

most of us have been on holiday and picked up a mystery bug along the way.

0:23:340:23:39

It can mean you spend an entire week running in and out of the bathroom.

0:23:390:23:43

Or snuffling with a sore throat and puffy eyes.

0:23:430:23:46

Not a good look to have when you're on holiday.

0:23:460:23:49

But is that just bad luck?

0:23:490:23:51

And what happens if what you assume is holiday flu turns out to be an infection that's a lot more serious?

0:23:510:23:57

So this week in the lab, we're looking at viruses and infections.

0:23:570:24:02

The rhinovirus, common cold to you and me, attacking our bodies.

0:24:060:24:11

It takes just ten hours from entering our system to take full effect.

0:24:110:24:16

# When you put your arms around me

0:24:180:24:22

# I get a fever that's so hard to bear, you give me fever #

0:24:220:24:27

With the aid of some food colouring,

0:24:270:24:29

Dr Chris van Tulleken is going to show me just how to avoid picking one up.

0:24:300:24:36

And it all starts with a sneeze.

0:24:360:24:39

SNEEZES

0:24:390:24:41

-Ugh!

-Sorry about that.

-That is disgusting.

0:24:410:24:45

It is very disgusting. That was particularly violent because I was making myself sneeze.

0:24:450:24:50

I think you could put a frame on that and sell it to the Tate Modern.

0:24:500:24:53

But I get the message. It goes a long way and it scatters.

0:24:530:24:58

In fact, your body can sneeze at over 100mph.

0:24:580:25:03

What comes out contains around 40,000 droplets of mucus loaded with bugs.

0:25:030:25:09

So, rule number one.

0:25:090:25:11

Keep your germs to yourself.

0:25:110:25:13

Sneeze into your elbow or into your hankie.

0:25:150:25:17

If you must sneeze into your hands, wash your hands afterwards.

0:25:170:25:20

Catch it, kill it and bin it, that's what we say.

0:25:200:25:22

But you can't bank on others being so responsible.

0:25:230:25:27

Around three quarters of people admit to not covering their mouths when they sneeze.

0:25:270:25:32

So you could pick up a bug when you least expect it.

0:25:320:25:35

We go on holiday and we think we got a bug on holiday.

0:25:370:25:40

In fact, the plane getting to the holiday,

0:25:400:25:42

that's a really good place to get bugs, You're in a confined space,

0:25:420:25:46

breathing the same recirculated air as another 2-300 people.

0:25:460:25:50

We've shown serious infections like SARS, swine flu, these things are passed on on planes.

0:25:500:25:56

And you don't even need to be sneezed onto pick up something deadly like bird flu.

0:25:560:26:01

All it takes is a tray table harbouring germs.

0:26:010:26:04

How do they actually get into our systems?

0:26:080:26:11

One of the good ways is through the very sensitive passages

0:26:110:26:14

in your nose and in your mouth. Very often, you touch something,

0:26:140:26:18

-then pick your nose. Probably, you don't pick your nose. Some of us do.

-Try not to.

0:26:180:26:23

These passages are a good way of getting in.

0:26:230:26:26

It's a good idea to carry anti-bacterial gel and keep your hands clean.

0:26:260:26:30

Keeping the hands clean. A major port of entry. Not someone

0:26:300:26:33

coughing on your face, that can happen if you get an aerosol of bugs that you inhale.

0:26:330:26:38

In the interests of our health, Dr Chris has offered up his own hooter to show us the way.

0:26:380:26:44

And this is a wonderful breeding ground, is it,

0:26:440:26:47

-for bugs in the nasal passage?

-The bugs want to get in these passages.

0:26:470:26:51

One of the reasons they want to do that is because, once they're in there, they can spread.

0:26:510:26:57

To help your nose to keep the body's defences up, using a saline spray before and during your flight

0:26:590:27:05

can boot the germs out and add a layer of protection.

0:27:050:27:09

-Airports, airplanes.

-Yep.

-Bad place to pick them up.

0:27:100:27:13

What about once you're on holiday? Are you safe then?

0:27:130:27:16

Reasonably safe. But there are some risks from bugs that cause throat infections and breathing problems.

0:27:160:27:23

One of the big ones is Legionella, so Legionnaires' disease.

0:27:230:27:26

This is a bacteria that loves wet warm environments.

0:27:260:27:30

So it loves air-conditioning systems, it loves Jacuzzis, a Jacuzzi

0:27:300:27:34

is an almost perfect bacterial broth.

0:27:340:27:36

It's full of protein in dead skin flakes, which bacteria love to eat.

0:27:360:27:40

-I don't think I'll ever go in a Jacuzzi again.

-You have to worry about spas.

0:27:400:27:44

In this country, spas, Jacuzzis, air conditioning is all pretty well looked after.

0:27:440:27:49

You can't always be sure of that when abroad.

0:27:490:27:51

So, what can we do to avoid becoming sick on holiday?

0:27:550:27:59

Carry and alcohol-based hand gel with you. And use it regularly

0:27:590:28:05

to stop you picking up any nasty bugs.

0:28:050:28:07

Use a saline nasal spray before your flight.

0:28:070:28:11

It could block those harmful bacteria from taking hold.

0:28:110:28:14

And check the Foreign Office website

0:28:140:28:17

for reports of any outbreaks of disease where you're travelling.

0:28:170:28:21

Every year, tens of thousands of us take our car south

0:28:260:28:29

to explore the rugged beauty of France and Spain.

0:28:290:28:33

But it's not always an easy ride.

0:28:330:28:35

Earlier on, we met Joy and Alan

0:28:350:28:37

who had a terrible experience on a Spanish motorway.

0:28:370:28:41

The couple became the victims of a modern form of highway robbery.

0:28:410:28:46

The car engine revved and they disappeared at a tremendous speed, leaving us in a cloud of dust.

0:28:480:28:54

Only to find absolutely everything on the back seat had gone.

0:28:540:28:58

This footage shows another couple suffering the same fate.

0:28:580:29:03

It's a crime that's on the increase all across Europe.

0:29:030:29:06

And they're targeting visiting holidaymakers.

0:29:060:29:09

To find out how we can avoid becoming victims of the same crime,

0:29:100:29:15

I'm off to the British consulate in Malaga.

0:29:150:29:17

Roadside robbery, how big of a problem is it?

0:29:200:29:23

Roadside robbery, when people are driving down through France and Spain is a big problem.

0:29:230:29:27

Last year, there were 140 cases reported to the consulate teams.

0:29:270:29:31

And it's people being stopped on the motorway, seemingly innocently,

0:29:310:29:36

and finding within a few minutes everything's gone out of the car.

0:29:360:29:40

This footage from the Spanish police shows exactly how it's done.

0:29:410:29:46

The robbers may bump into the back of your car,

0:29:460:29:48

or start flashing their lights,

0:29:480:29:51

to persuade you to pull over to deal with the bogus problem.

0:29:510:29:55

Then, while one man distracts everyone in you car,

0:29:550:29:58

another jumps out to grab your treasured possessions

0:29:580:30:02

before making a quick getaway.

0:30:020:30:05

Presumably, some people might want you to stop in all innocence.

0:30:090:30:13

-What should drivers do?

-Drivers need to not stop at the side of the road.

0:30:130:30:17

Stop somewhere safe like a garage. Stop at the rest area where there are people.

0:30:170:30:21

If you've got a hire care or a car with British plates, most people will know it's a tourist car.

0:30:210:30:26

The thieves will expect there to be stuff in the car.

0:30:260:30:29

Like cameras, passports, etcetera. If you then think,

0:30:290:30:33

"OK, I'm getting out. I feel confident." Even at that stage,

0:30:330:30:37

I would still grab the bag with the passports in or the money

0:30:370:30:41

-and take that with me.

-140 roadside robberies last year alone.

0:30:410:30:44

-Yeah.

-Is that enough to stop people driving?

0:30:440:30:47

-Would you advise they don't drive?

-No.

0:30:470:30:49

Of course not. Millions of people drive through Spain and France every year without incident.

0:30:490:30:55

What we do is highlight the things that come to our attention.

0:30:550:30:58

These can be nasty. An elderly couple, confident drivers, coming down to spend some time in Spain,

0:30:580:31:04

can have their confidence completely ripped from them. It's about being safe and driving

0:31:040:31:08

safely in Spain and overseas in general.

0:31:080:31:11

But I would say, just think, be careful and think.

0:31:110:31:14

Don't leave your brains back in the UK.

0:31:140:31:17

Bring them with you and use them.

0:31:170:31:19

Despite the alarming number of recent incidents in France and Spain,

0:31:200:31:24

this form of highway robbery occurs all over the world.

0:31:240:31:27

It pays to lock your valuables in the boot of your car

0:31:270:31:31

and only stop in a safe and well-populated spot.

0:31:310:31:35

Now I want to try and rebuild Alan and Joy's confidence in travelling.

0:31:390:31:44

To break them in gently, I've brought them to Andalusia

0:31:440:31:47

in southern Spain.

0:31:470:31:50

Eight miles away from the spectacular historic town of Ronda,

0:31:580:32:02

I'm putting the couple up in the heart of the countryside.

0:32:020:32:05

It's quiet, beautiful and a world away from the busy highway.

0:32:050:32:10

But I'm worried that, even here, Alan and Joy can't forget their highway hell.

0:32:100:32:15

-How does it feel to be back in Spain?

-I suppose we're a bit apprehensive.

0:32:180:32:22

Things like crowds and being on a crowded motorway.

0:32:220:32:27

The heart beat goes up.

0:32:270:32:29

Still. I get... Yeah. I'm not very good with uncertainty.

0:32:290:32:35

If I'm in a situation where I don't know what's going to happen, it gets me a bit nervous.

0:32:350:32:40

Well, we didn't want you to be put off travelling after last year.

0:32:400:32:43

We wanted you to come here, have a good time, we've got a few things planned.

0:32:430:32:47

-Oh, right.

-First things first.

0:32:470:32:49

-We're going to a nature reserve where, hopefully, you'll see Griffon vultures.

-Wonderful.

-Terrific.

0:32:490:32:54

Later, I'll find out if this new holiday can make them

0:32:540:32:58

feel confident about travelling again.

0:32:580:33:01

I'm hoping that this trip is going to make them fall back in love with Spain.

0:33:010:33:05

Look at that. It's just horrible.

0:33:110:33:15

-Mucky mattresses.

-Look at that!

-Oh, my goodness!

0:33:150:33:18

Rank refrigerators.

0:33:180:33:19

-You need to stop using that fridge.

-OK.

-Definitely.

0:33:190:33:23

And pesky pets.

0:33:230:33:25

That's not what I want to see in the same kitchen as my lunch.

0:33:250:33:29

End of.

0:33:290:33:30

Just some of the many delights my inspectors and I encounter in our quest

0:33:300:33:35

to improve hotel standards for Brits abroad.

0:33:350:33:39

That's the reason for the smell. It's been like that since 10am. Absolutely disgusting.

0:33:390:33:44

And tonight, our brave inspector may be facing a Caribbean catastrophe.

0:33:440:33:50

The Dominican Republic.

0:33:550:33:59

Around 170,000 of us make the flight here every year

0:34:010:34:04

in search of sparkling waters, white sands

0:34:040:34:07

and that relaxed Caribbean vibe.

0:34:070:34:10

But you've been complaining that one of the hotels here might just be

0:34:130:34:17

a little too laid back.

0:34:170:34:20

The El Cortecito Hotel in Punta Cana

0:34:200:34:24

has been slated in online reviews.

0:34:240:34:26

Complaints of filthy rooms and bad disrepair.

0:34:260:34:30

Rooms cost around £38 per night.

0:34:310:34:34

Following such negative comments, assistant manager Herman has invited us to see for ourselves.

0:34:340:34:41

The hotel was built in 1995.

0:34:410:34:44

It's 17 years old. We have 75 rooms.

0:34:440:34:48

We want to show the hotel to all the world

0:34:480:34:52

because some people write different things on the internet.

0:34:520:34:56

But we want to show you the real.

0:34:560:34:58

So we've parachuted in our hotshot environmental health officer Marva.

0:34:580:35:04

# Hey, hey, hey! I'm sending out an SOS

0:35:040:35:10

# Sending sending #

0:35:100:35:12

-How are you?

-Good and you?

-I'm here to do an inspection.

0:35:120:35:15

-Yeah. Good.

-Shall we go?

-Let me show you.

-Thank you. Thank you.

0:35:150:35:20

Marva has 22 years' experience as an environmental health officer.

0:35:200:35:24

I have many pet peeves.

0:35:260:35:28

Sanitation, pool hygiene.

0:35:280:35:31

And around the beds, it's about the bedbugs, do we have any?

0:35:310:35:36

Marva starts her inspection in one of the hotel's 75 bedrooms.

0:35:360:35:40

So this is one of the bedrooms.

0:35:400:35:43

-I want to have a quick look at the beds.

-OK.

0:35:430:35:47

We expect to have nice clean linen.

0:35:470:35:49

We expect to have a protector on your mattress. Oh.

0:35:490:35:53

-There's nothing there. No protector.

-No.

0:35:530:35:57

We would expect to have at least a protector on this mattress, yeah?

0:35:570:36:01

With no protector, the mattress could be carrying germs,

0:36:010:36:05

skin and hair particles from every single previous guest.

0:36:050:36:09

So this is the bathroom.

0:36:090:36:12

Right. You've got quite a bit of mould.

0:36:120:36:15

-You've got hot water, have you?

-Yes.

-All right.

0:36:150:36:19

There doesn't seem to be any hot water. It's taking a long while.

0:36:190:36:22

We don't have hot water. The warmer thing is off.

0:36:220:36:27

I would recommend that in here you pay some attention to the seals.

0:36:280:36:32

You can get pests hiding and breeding behind here.

0:36:320:36:36

Also, ensure that the hot water is constant, yeah?

0:36:360:36:39

-Not just on and off but there's a constant supply of hot water to the basin.

-I see.

0:36:390:36:44

OK.

0:36:440:36:45

-I want to look on the inside.

-Yeah.

-I'm looking for hygiene points.

0:36:450:36:49

I'm not sure what these are, yeah,

0:36:490:36:53

on this toilet seat. I'm not sure what it is.

0:36:530:36:58

Quite shocking really.

0:36:580:37:00

The sanitation and cleaning is not happening as it should in the bedrooms. We hope it gets better.

0:37:000:37:06

The Dominican Republic is renowned for its picture-postcard beaches.

0:37:060:37:11

El Cortecito's restaurant and grill should be a highlight for guests.

0:37:110:37:17

OK, we're going into the grill area.

0:37:200:37:23

It's run for the hotel by a neighbouring business.

0:37:230:37:26

The head chef is Pablo.

0:37:260:37:28

-Hello.

-Hi, chef, how are you doing?

0:37:280:37:30

Can you tell me what you prepare here? What sort of food

0:37:300:37:33

-Here I prepare seafood.

-Yes.

-Only seafood.

0:37:330:37:37

-Oh, seafood?

-Yeah.

-OK. Good.

0:37:370:37:39

-This only meat.

-There's very good separation between the dishes in here.

0:37:390:37:44

-We've got fish and meat.

-Yes.

-Excellent.

0:37:440:37:48

But the good news ends there.

0:37:480:37:52

I've seen evidence of droppings over here, in this area over here.

0:37:530:37:58

That indicates that we've got a slight problem

0:37:580:38:02

with pests in this area.

0:38:020:38:05

Tropical diseases are found in Caribbean countries like the Dominican Republic

0:38:050:38:09

because the consistently warm humid atmosphere is the perfect climate for disease-carrying pests to breed.

0:38:090:38:16

# Come Mr Tally Man, tally me banana #

0:38:180:38:21

We do have some vegetables on the floor, bananas.

0:38:210:38:25

Do we not have a vegetable rack for those to keep vegetables off the floor?

0:38:250:38:30

So you don't get contamination issues.

0:38:300:38:33

Yeah. OK.

0:38:330:38:36

-We've got quite a bit of work in here to do, don't we?

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

0:38:360:38:39

And if it's that bad in a kitchen that's on public view,

0:38:390:38:43

I dread to think what Marva will find behind closed doors.

0:38:430:38:47

# I'll keep you my dirty little secret, dirty little secret

0:38:470:38:53

Maintenance. You can see that. Lots of it.

0:38:530:38:57

# Who has to know?

0:38:570:38:59

# Who has to know? #

0:39:000:39:03

-What happens in here? Is that for washing up?

-Yes.

-OK.

0:39:050:39:10

-We wash. This side is sanitation.

-Right, right, right.

0:39:100:39:14

This is a very good concept here

0:39:140:39:17

because we do need this three-compartment sink.

0:39:170:39:21

But if you look at this.

0:39:210:39:24

This is used for cleaning.

0:39:240:39:27

Each square centimetre of a soiled dishcloth can contain one million bacteria.

0:39:270:39:33

Making it dirtier than a toilet seat.

0:39:330:39:36

Right. Do we have any hot water here at all?

0:39:360:39:40

-Is there any hot water?

-The water? No, no, no.

0:39:400:39:42

-No hot water.

-We cook here and there.

0:39:420:39:45

-OK. But this is your main cleaning, washing plates and all that?

-Yeah.

0:39:450:39:50

In here? There's no hot water. OK.

0:39:500:39:54

That kitchen was very shocking.

0:39:540:39:58

If I was an enforcement officer, I would consider closure, yes.

0:39:580:40:01

Following her inspection of the Cortecito Inn,

0:40:020:40:05

Marva was expecting to meet the manager to present her findings

0:40:050:40:08

and make some recommendations for improvement.

0:40:080:40:11

But, out of the blue, the hotel turned her down.

0:40:110:40:16

They say they intend to give the hotel a complete overhaul in seven months' time.

0:40:170:40:22

They do have a seven-month plan to refurbish.

0:40:250:40:28

But I think that plan needs to be reviewed because they have some serious urgent issues.

0:40:280:40:34

I wouldn't stay as a guest in this hotel at the moment.

0:40:340:40:38

Ask me again in seven months' time.

0:40:380:40:40

Back at the British consulate in Palma, Majorca, 15-year-old Daniel and his grandad Malcolm,

0:40:460:40:52

are still desperately trying to organise a flight and an emergency passport.

0:40:520:40:57

He was stateless for a while until grandparents came to the rescue.

0:40:570:41:02

Well, I haven't succeeded in rescuing him yet.

0:41:020:41:05

But the bank holiday rush means that flights are few and far between.

0:41:060:41:11

They're trying to find a flight, any airline to anywhere in the London region,

0:41:110:41:15

to get him home today or tomorrow.

0:41:150:41:18

The consul, Paul, is pulling out all the stops.

0:41:180:41:22

Our travel agent is searching for a flight as we speak. We've just spoken to them.

0:41:220:41:26

Anywhere in London is what we've asked them.

0:41:260:41:30

They'll come back to us, hopefully with a flight.

0:41:300:41:33

Meanwhile, another of Her Majesty's subjects is also in trouble.

0:41:330:41:38

Katie, what brings you to the consulate today?

0:41:390:41:41

The other night, I think I picked up my passport and left it on the beach.

0:41:410:41:45

And then I searched my hotel for it and I couldn't find it anywhere.

0:41:450:41:50

20-year-old Katie was on holiday with friends but they all fell out.

0:41:500:41:54

So, all alone for four days, she just wants to get home.

0:41:540:41:58

Are you crying on your holiday?

0:41:580:42:00

Oh!

0:42:000:42:02

Oh, dear.

0:42:020:42:04

You'll be all right.

0:42:040:42:06

-Yeah.

-Yes?

-Yeah.

0:42:060:42:09

-No more tears.

-No more tears. No.

-No.

0:42:090:42:13

# Everybody hurts #

0:42:130:42:18

Staff here in Majorca are used to seeing young Brits in a mess.

0:42:190:42:23

But they recently had to deal with a particularly upsetting new craze.

0:42:230:42:28

One that's hit the high-rise hotels of Magaluf.

0:42:280:42:31

'Make sure you hit the water or you're dead.'

0:42:340:42:36

It's been dubbed "balconing".

0:42:360:42:39

'LAUGHTER'

0:42:390:42:41

Young people have been leaping from hotel balconies to the pool below.

0:42:430:42:48

Sometimes, with fatal consequences.

0:42:480:42:51

Lots of times, unfortunately, people don't meet the pool.

0:42:510:42:55

In 2012, there were three deaths and six serious accidents in Majorca

0:42:550:43:01

as a result of either misjudged leaps to the pool

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or climbing between balconies.

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It's difficult to explain that they fell because they thought it was fun to jump to the pool.

0:43:080:43:13

Now you're going to have to take them home in this condition.

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Or, indeed, take them home in a casket.

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Part of the problem is the incredibly cheap price of alcohol in modern holiday resorts.

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With shots of dodgy vodka costing as little as 80 pence,

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and many hotels being all-inclusive drink-all-you-can venues,

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it's no wonder that young people are getting involved in tragic accidents.

0:43:370:43:42

The problem is so serious that the Foreign Office has issued the following advice.

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Don't take unnecessary risks,

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especially under the influence of alcohol.

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And do be aware that your travel insurance is unlikely to cover you if you have been drinking.

0:43:540:44:00

Even medical evacuation is not covered

0:44:000:44:03

under the reciprocal arrangements between Spain and the UK.

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Luckily, it's not just the consul who's looking out for us Brits abroad.

0:44:080:44:13

We deal with absolutely every single problem.

0:44:190:44:23

We do traffic regulations. We do crime.

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We protect the people on the beach. We rescue people.

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Everything you can imagine that you need the police, that's what we do - the local police.

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Day in, day out, the Majorca police force patrol

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the holiday hotspots, doing their best to us safe and crime free.

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These bobbies on the beach face a set of challenges

0:44:410:44:45

that are unique to holiday destinations.

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Whether it's unlicensed masseurs.

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Or beach thieves.

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We went to lunch, when we got back, we saw they took my bag.

0:44:570:45:03

The cops are there trying to make sure that our holidays are hitch-free.

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If you don't want things stolen, make a deal with your neighbour

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at the beach to take care of your stuff while you are at the water.

0:45:110:45:15

When you come back, you do the same for them.

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A daily problem is a group that's been called "the scourge of Spanish beach resorts."

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Nicknamed "looky looky men", they are elicit traders

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that pester holidaymakers with low-quality counterfeit products.

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To start with, it's an illegal matter because they haven't got permission.

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Also it's annoying for the tourists sitting on a sunbed and one comes up and another and another.

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We are trying to stop that.

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You actually take away what they're trying to sell.

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To recover it, they have to pay the fine. If not, they cannot have it back.

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And they're becoming a problem at beach resorts all over the world.

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It's not only here.

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It's all... Everywhere. Wherever they are in Europe or other countries, you know,

0:45:580:46:04

there is a Mafia behind them.

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Some European police forces recommend tourists not buy anything from the looky looky men

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as it encourages them and the criminal organisations behind them.

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Because, obviously, they don't want to do what they do.

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They're kind of forced to do it.

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We feel sorry and pity for them, we feel bad, we understand what they're going through.

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So it's not a personal problem with them obviously.

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But it's not just the beach irritants that the holiday cops have to deal with.

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Sometimes, it's a matter of life and death.

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The sea might look inviting.

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But the police regularly have to deal with victims

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of drowning.

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You know what's the worst thing you can see? If they're children.

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To a child trying to do RCP, trying to save their life.

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And you can see there's not a lot you can do.

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That's the worst thing you can find.

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I don't know how to describe it. It's really hard. It's really tough to see.

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309 Brits drowned on holiday between 2006 and 2010,

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of which 55 were children.

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But it seems that some incidents involve people who really should know better.

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SIREN WAILS

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Officers Rosado and Pilar have just received an urgent call.

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Holidaymaker Ian Rennie raised the alarm.

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I was just walking into the sea, going for a swim, and I noticed

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this lady swimming around just using one arm.

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I thought it was very strange.

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Then, suddenly, she turned completely over, facedown in the water.

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And I thought, "She's going to drown."

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Luckily for the lady, Ian is a doctor.

0:47:530:47:57

I got her to breathe and then we pulled her out.

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But she was very confused. When she first came out,

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she was... She said very little.

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We'd wondered if she'd had a stroke.

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But then, suddenly, she coughed a bit more water up

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and she became a bit more compos mentis.

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Then she started to laugh.

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And I wondered if she'd been drinking.

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Drowning is the second biggest risk faced by holidaymakers.

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It comes just behind road accidents for danger.

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British embassies in resorts all over the world

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have reported an increasing problem with our over-55s

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over indulging in food and drink and then becoming unstuck in the water.

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She was very lucky, I have to say.

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If I hadn't noticed her and happened to be there,

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she was absolutely facedown.

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The advice is that sun, sea and booze

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are not a good mix.

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Although dazed, the woman is given a clean bill of health.

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Bien.

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It's a month since Mike and I carried out our inspection of the Malibu Park Apartments

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in Playa de las Americas in Tenerife.

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We left a list of improvements that urgently needed addressing.

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Now we're back to see what we've achieved.

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# If I had a hammer I'd hammer in the morning #

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Assistant manager Jacho has clearly taken our advice seriously.

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We discovered broken tiling. But it's already being fixed.

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We need to do it and we are doing it.

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We were worried that the limescale in the shower heads could be harbouring the Legionella virus.

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But Jacho is addressing this concern.

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We've replaced a lot of the showers.

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It's important to be perfect.

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And after I discovered cockroaches in the bedroom, he's increased the frequency of pest control.

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If our guests find a cockroach in his apartment,

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it's really a problem because

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the babies like our complex.

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We are trying to fix this problem.

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We've set poisons, poisons, poisons.

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Jacho has also fixed the broken window in the room where I spent the night.

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The window it's OK.

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Repaired.

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Our biggest concern is the exposed wiring in the garden light next to the children's playground.

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But, thankfully, Jacho has heeded our warnings.

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There was a defective light near the playground area.

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And he's fixing it right now

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because it's not safe for children.

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And electricity and children can't be mixed.

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So, as you can see, he's fixing it.

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It's really good to see that our advice has been taken so seriously.

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And that, following our visit, Jacho has significantly improved

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the safety and cleanliness of this hotel.

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Back in Spain, I'm trying to help keen birdwatchers Joy and Alan Horton

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get over their holiday from hell.

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A robbery on the Spanish highway has left them nervous travellers.

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So I've brought them to the beautiful countryside of Andalusia to try to rebuild their confidence.

0:51:410:51:47

-We're got a few things planned.

-Oh, right.

-First, we're going to a nature reserve

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-to Griffon vultures.

-Brilliant.

-That'd be wonderful.

-Terrific.

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A bit of twitching is what Joy and Alan had planned before they were robbed.

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I'm taking them to Sierra de Grazalema Nature Park,

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home to one of the largest Griffon vulture colonies in Europe.

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# Rescue me Oh, take me in your arms #

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We're going to climb the Coros peak today. It's a very gentle climb.

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This one is famous for beautiful landscapes, gorgeous views and the Griffon vultures.

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-Brilliant.

-Whenever you are ready.

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-OK. Let's go.

-When you're ready.

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It is kind of ironic. I feel a bit like a mum sending her kids off to school on the first day.

0:52:300:52:36

Which is bizarre because Joy and Alan have so much more life experience than me.

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But, from what Alan said, that robbery has really knocked his confidence.

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And I'm hoping that this trip is going to make them fall back in love with Spain.

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You can see it on the top of that...

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-Oh, yes.

-Top right.

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Happily, it looks like Joy and Alan's spirits are soaring.

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That is just so beautiful. Oh, wow!

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Joy and Alan seem comfortable in the mountains,

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but I want them to be confident in town too.

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I've managed to persuade them to come into historic Ronda with me for a bit of exploring.

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It's just amazing, isn't it?

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Imagine discovering somewhere like this.

0:53:220:53:24

-It must...

-Reminds me of a jelly mould.

-It does, doesn't it?

0:53:240:53:27

LAUGHS

0:53:270:53:29

But will this new holiday be enough to soothe the couple's fears?

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You said you were a little nervous after what happened last time.

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-It has had an effect on you.

-Yes.

-How do you feel at the end of today?

0:53:390:53:43

I feel comfortable. I think maybe if we'd had been in a big town,

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it would still be a bit difficult, but here I've thoroughly enjoyed it.

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It's been a complete revelation.

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And we've marked some places in our minds

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that we'd like to be able to come back to and explore in more detail.

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You would come back to Spain if you've mapped places you want to go?

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-Yes.

-I might drive past Barcelona but I'll keep the doors locked.

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I'm thrilled to see Alan so much more confident about holidaying again.

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That calls for a celebration.

0:54:130:54:16

-Thank you for letting me gatecrash your holiday.

-Thank you for showing us around.

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-To many more adventures.

-Thank you. You've been a delight.

-Happy days.

0:54:200:54:25

At the consulate in Palma, Majorca,

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it's also a happy ending, of sorts, for our Brits in trouble.

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They may have had to pay for emergency passports

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but at least they're going home.

0:54:410:54:43

For Katie, who had a miserable holiday after falling out with her travelling companions,

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it's a relief to be on her way back to her parents.

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I was so worried, panicking, and didn't think I would get home tomorrow.

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But now I'm just so glad, so happy I'm going home tomorrow.

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So excited.

0:55:030:55:04

And, finally, it's also good news for Daniel

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whose passport was swallowed up by the airport scanner.

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His grandad, the consul and the travel agent

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have pulled out all the stops and found him a flight home via Germany.

0:55:130:55:18

So, how can we all avoid needing to throw ourselves on the mercy of the British consulate?

0:55:180:55:25

First thing, look after yourself.

0:55:250:55:27

Lots of the incidents are because of misadventure.

0:55:270:55:30

The second thing would be, when you're in a group, take care of the members of that group.

0:55:300:55:35

Don't leave them on their own and make them vulnerable.

0:55:350:55:38

Look after your belongings.

0:55:380:55:40

Particular tip for girls. Look after your drinks. In terms of

0:55:400:55:44

preparation, be aware, research where you're going.

0:55:440:55:47

Think about local customs. For example,

0:55:470:55:51

walking along the street without a T-shirt on is not necessarily acceptable. Ultimately,

0:55:510:55:55

have a bit of a back-up plan. Have a contingency.

0:55:550:55:59

Bring some extra cash, put it in an extra bag.

0:55:590:56:02

Have another credit card. Have someone at home you can call.

0:56:020:56:05

And the final thing is, let people know where you are.

0:56:050:56:09

The amount of calls from feverish parents or friends saying,

0:56:090:56:13

"We've lost, whoever it might be, we don't know where they are."

0:56:130:56:17

So tell people where you are going.

0:56:170:56:19

-Paul, thanks very much indeed.

-Thank you very much.

0:56:200:56:23

What have we got? Very simple. Take care of yourself.

0:56:230:56:26

Take care of each other. Take care of your belongings.

0:56:260:56:28

Take care of what you drink.

0:56:280:56:30

Make sure that you've got a Plan B,

0:56:300:56:33

with a copy of your passport, an extra credit card.

0:56:330:56:36

And, most importantly, stay safe.

0:56:360:56:41

Let somebody know where you are, Then, if there is a problem,

0:56:410:56:45

you won't have to come and rely on Paul and his team, brilliant as they are,

0:56:450:56:50

because you won't need them because you'll be having a great holiday with no problems.

0:56:500:56:55

As millions of you prepare to book your summer holiday,

0:57:010:57:04

what are the Holiday Hit Squad's top tips for ensuring that you really do have the perfect break?

0:57:040:57:09

Well, be warned, things can go wrong.

0:57:090:57:11

Flames rushed out of this bottle straight in Kirsty's face.

0:57:130:57:17

Absolutely everything on the back seat had gone.

0:57:170:57:20

I heard the bones in my legs break,

0:57:210:57:23

And then I passed out.

0:57:230:57:25

Over 700,000 of us made a claim on our travel insurance last year.

0:57:260:57:32

So make sure that yours is comprehensive and up to date.

0:57:320:57:37

Watch out for dodgy hotels.

0:57:370:57:39

'This is horrible. A used plaster and it's definitely not mine.'

0:57:400:57:46

Sadly, there will always be some hotels that are either dirty,

0:57:460:57:50

dangerous or decrepit.

0:57:500:57:53

It was just a complete construction site going on next door.

0:57:530:57:56

Check the online reviews to ensure that your stay is comfortable,

0:57:560:58:01

clean and safe.

0:58:010:58:02

And, finally, if things do go wrong,...

0:58:020:58:05

Oh, please don't be broken.

0:58:050:58:08

I've got nothing to live on until I get my flight and nowhere to stay.

0:58:080:58:12

..be aware that there is an army of professionals on hand to get your holiday back on track.

0:58:120:58:19

That's it from the holiday hit squad.

0:58:190:58:21

Wherever and whenever you go on holiday...

0:58:210:58:23

..take care and make sure you have a good one.

0:58:230:58:26

-From us, goodbye.

-Goodbye.

-Goodbye.

0:58:260:58:30

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