0:00:02 > 0:00:05We asked you who's left you feeling ripped off when it comes to your
0:00:05 > 0:00:09holidays, and you came back with a catalogue of travel disasters.
0:00:09 > 0:00:12A holiday's supposed to be a time of relaxing, not a time of more stress,
0:00:12 > 0:00:15and certainly not a time of stress whilst you're away.
0:00:15 > 0:00:17It's just annoying that you think, "What next?
0:00:17 > 0:00:20"What are they going to put a charge on next?"
0:00:20 > 0:00:23So whether it's a deliberate rip-off, a simple mistake,
0:00:23 > 0:00:25or indeed a catch in the small print,
0:00:25 > 0:00:30we'll find out why you were out of pocket and what you can do about it.
0:00:30 > 0:00:33Your stories, your money, this is Rip Off Britain.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39Hello, and welcome once again to Rip Off Britain,
0:00:39 > 0:00:42bringing you a much-needed burst of holiday spirit from the island of
0:00:42 > 0:00:46Tenerife, where we're going to be looking into even more of the
0:00:46 > 0:00:49holiday travel stories that you've asked us to look into,
0:00:49 > 0:00:51especially on your behalf.
0:00:51 > 0:00:54And while most holidays do of course go very smoothly,
0:00:54 > 0:00:58something that can throw a dreadful spanner in the works is if someone
0:00:58 > 0:01:00that you're travelling with falls ill.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03Not only might you run into problems getting the treatment itself,
0:01:03 > 0:01:07but the consequences can rumble on and on even after you have returned home.
0:01:07 > 0:01:11And we've got some worrying examples of exactly those scenarios
0:01:11 > 0:01:15on their way. But the good news is that for each of the situations we'll be
0:01:15 > 0:01:18looking at, there are ways to ensure that no-one in your group,
0:01:18 > 0:01:20whether on two or four legs,
0:01:20 > 0:01:22picks up something unwanted while you're away.
0:01:24 > 0:01:25Coming up...
0:01:25 > 0:01:28holidays scuppered by the Zika virus.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31Why you might not get your money back if you have to cancel.
0:01:31 > 0:01:35They're actually encouraging people to make the wrong decision.
0:01:35 > 0:01:38They're encouraging people to go on holiday
0:01:38 > 0:01:42and put their unborn children at risk.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46And could the ease with which pets can now travel abroad be the reason
0:01:46 > 0:01:51why a disease that is deadly to dogs has suddenly appeared in the UK?
0:01:51 > 0:01:54They called us up actually to say that we're going to have to put
0:01:54 > 0:01:57- Mishka to sleep.- It was... She was on the critical list.
0:02:01 > 0:02:03On our holiday series last year,
0:02:03 > 0:02:07we reported on some of the really nasty illnesses that mosquitoes can
0:02:07 > 0:02:09carry and pass on to us when they bite us.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12And of course, in the months since then, that has really come into even
0:02:12 > 0:02:17sharper focus, with the continued spread of the Zika virus.
0:02:17 > 0:02:20Now, as well as those heartbreaking images that we have seen of mothers
0:02:20 > 0:02:23whose babies have been affected by the disease,
0:02:23 > 0:02:28we've also seen plenty of headlines about destinations that could now
0:02:28 > 0:02:31also be affected. Trouble is that
0:02:31 > 0:02:35while the effects of contracting the virus whilst you are pregnant are
0:02:35 > 0:02:40not being disputed, what does not seem to have been settled and agreed
0:02:40 > 0:02:45by travel companies is how to handle those customers who feel that the
0:02:45 > 0:02:48presence of Zika leaves them in, well,
0:02:48 > 0:02:52a position where they have no option but to cancel their holidays.
0:02:52 > 0:02:55Because depending on who you've decided to book with,
0:02:55 > 0:03:00you might find that making that choice, however sensible it may be,
0:03:00 > 0:03:02leaves you hundreds of pounds out of pocket.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08It threatened to derail last year's Olympics.
0:03:08 > 0:03:12- TV:- It's created such a scare that some athletes have said they won't
0:03:12 > 0:03:14take part in this year's Olympic Games.
0:03:14 > 0:03:20But the mosquito-borne Zika virus has caused panic in communities right across the Americas.
0:03:20 > 0:03:24Its rapid spread has led to those most at risk being warned against
0:03:24 > 0:03:27visiting popular destinations such as Florida.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30New advice for British holidaymakers travelling to Florida,
0:03:30 > 0:03:33after cases of Zika are found in the state.
0:03:34 > 0:03:36In February 2016,
0:03:36 > 0:03:40the World Health Organization declared it a public health emergency.
0:03:40 > 0:03:42And to avoid the disease's worst consequences,
0:03:42 > 0:03:46tens of thousands of travel plans have been changed or abandoned.
0:03:51 > 0:03:56Including those of Alice, a primary school teacher from Northampton.
0:03:56 > 0:03:58In March 2016,
0:03:58 > 0:04:02she and her partner, Jeff, booked a trip for several months later, in the summer,
0:04:02 > 0:04:06to visit Jeff's family in the tiny Caribbean island of Dominica.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09And it had particular importance as Jeff's mother,
0:04:09 > 0:04:13who I am afraid has now died, had recently had a stroke.
0:04:13 > 0:04:18I knew how important it was to Jeff to go and see his mum,
0:04:18 > 0:04:22so for both of us it was a really important trip for us to be taking.
0:04:25 > 0:04:29To save money, the couple made two separate bookings for flights,
0:04:29 > 0:04:34from the UK to Florida and then on to Dominica via Jamaica.
0:04:34 > 0:04:36It was a complicated but cost-effective method,
0:04:36 > 0:04:39involving two booking agents and three different airlines.
0:04:41 > 0:04:45They definitely weren't the most direct flights to get to Dominica,
0:04:45 > 0:04:49but just to save money we were willing to take our time getting there.
0:04:51 > 0:04:55The couple's flights to Florida with Air France cost them a total of
0:04:55 > 0:04:59almost £1,000, on comparison website Bravofly.
0:04:59 > 0:05:05And they paid almost £600 for flights onwards to Dominica with JetBlue
0:05:05 > 0:05:06and Liat Airlines,
0:05:06 > 0:05:10which they sourced via another comparison site - CheapOair.
0:05:10 > 0:05:12I was really excited to go.
0:05:12 > 0:05:14We've got the flights and that.
0:05:14 > 0:05:18I was like, yeah, I finally get to go back home again.
0:05:18 > 0:05:20Get to see my mum.
0:05:20 > 0:05:24But just two months after they'd sorted their travel plans,
0:05:24 > 0:05:27Alice discovered she was pregnant.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30We were really excited to find out we were pregnant, weren't we?
0:05:30 > 0:05:33Yeah. Nervous and scared, but happy, really happy.
0:05:36 > 0:05:40But of course, amidst their excitement was the thought of their
0:05:40 > 0:05:41upcoming holiday to Dominica.
0:05:41 > 0:05:45And when a friend, who was also pregnant, said she'd been warned
0:05:45 > 0:05:49against booking a holiday to that area because Zika was now prevalent,
0:05:49 > 0:05:51Alice began to worry.
0:05:51 > 0:05:53- TV:- In the past few months,
0:05:53 > 0:05:56it has been spreading fast, to more than 20 countries in the Caribbean
0:05:56 > 0:05:58and Latin America.
0:05:58 > 0:06:02I'd heard news reports previously that it was in South America,
0:06:02 > 0:06:06so it wasn't until after my friend had reported it to me being in the
0:06:06 > 0:06:10Caribbean that I then went on to look it up.
0:06:13 > 0:06:17Though the first case in humans of the mosquito-borne virus was
0:06:17 > 0:06:19discovered in 1952,
0:06:19 > 0:06:23it was only in 2013 that the disease was linked with causing brain damage
0:06:23 > 0:06:27in babies. And two years later, as it reached Brazil,
0:06:27 > 0:06:31the numbers of babies born with severe neurological damage increased.
0:06:32 > 0:06:36As a result, pregnant women were quickly classed as, "at most risk".
0:06:36 > 0:06:39So, when Alice visited her doctor,
0:06:39 > 0:06:44his advice on whether she should take the trip couldn't have been more clear.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47He said there's no way he would risk it,
0:06:47 > 0:06:50so it was really gutting, to be honest.
0:06:52 > 0:06:56Just devastating, because we'd been so excited about our trip.
0:06:58 > 0:07:02The doctor also advised that Jeff shouldn't make the trip either,
0:07:02 > 0:07:04because if he contracted the illness,
0:07:04 > 0:07:09on his return he could pass it on to Alice and his unborn child.
0:07:10 > 0:07:12I wouldn't risk that for my kid or anyone else's.
0:07:15 > 0:07:19Dr James Logan from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine has
0:07:19 > 0:07:23been studying the spread of the Zika virus around the world.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26The main way that it's transmitted is through the bite of a mosquito.
0:07:26 > 0:07:29And in the tropics, like in South America,
0:07:29 > 0:07:32those mosquitoes are extremely prevalent.
0:07:32 > 0:07:35And that is why we're seeing the disease Zika spreading very,
0:07:35 > 0:07:36very quickly in that region.
0:07:39 > 0:07:41And while, for most healthy adults,
0:07:41 > 0:07:44the consequences of being bitten are minimal,
0:07:44 > 0:07:46similar to a mild dose of the flu,
0:07:46 > 0:07:51the effects on unborn children can be far more serious.
0:07:51 > 0:07:54The symptoms can be extremely devastating,
0:07:54 > 0:07:57and we have all these, sort of, complications,
0:07:57 > 0:08:00one of which is called microcephaly, which is when babies are born with a
0:08:00 > 0:08:02very small head because the brain hasn't developed properly.
0:08:02 > 0:08:06But a number of other complications as well.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09And you know, that can be extremely devastating,
0:08:09 > 0:08:13it can be life-threatening and is a severe problem.
0:08:13 > 0:08:17Of course, one way of protecting yourself from mosquito bites and any
0:08:17 > 0:08:21disease that they carry is to make sure that you use a repellent.
0:08:21 > 0:08:26And as Dr Logan so valiantly tested on one of our programmes last year,
0:08:26 > 0:08:28there's one that is especially effective.
0:08:28 > 0:08:31Deet is the best repellent that you can buy.
0:08:31 > 0:08:36It's absolutely vital if you go to a country that has Zika or any other mosquito-borne diseases,
0:08:36 > 0:08:39you must take a good repellent with you.
0:08:40 > 0:08:44But whilst a repellent is a good precautionary measure for the rest of us,
0:08:44 > 0:08:48for women who are pregnant the official advice remains that they
0:08:48 > 0:08:54should completely avoid non-essential travel to areas where the Zika virus is active.
0:08:54 > 0:08:58So, it was with this advice and a doctor's letter that Alice got in
0:08:58 > 0:09:02touch with Bravofly and CheapOair to cancel her flights.
0:09:02 > 0:09:05But things weren't going to be quite that simple.
0:09:05 > 0:09:09Bravofly said, "No, you can't get anything back.
0:09:09 > 0:09:12"The policy states there's no cancellations."
0:09:14 > 0:09:17When Alice spoke to the other travel agent, CheapOair,
0:09:17 > 0:09:20it didn't sound like she'd get any money back from them either,
0:09:20 > 0:09:24as the official advice warning pregnant women not to travel to affected
0:09:24 > 0:09:28areas had already been issued when the couple booked their flights.
0:09:28 > 0:09:31And it didn't seem to make much difference when Alice tried pointing
0:09:31 > 0:09:35out that at the time she'd booked she hadn't even been pregnant.
0:09:35 > 0:09:40It's really frustrating that we can't get that money back, now that we need
0:09:40 > 0:09:42money more than we ever have.
0:09:42 > 0:09:45- Yeah.- And we could be spending it on things for the baby.
0:09:48 > 0:09:52Bravofly did offer to refund the couple £300,
0:09:52 > 0:09:56which Alice was reluctant to agree, as it was almost £700 short of what
0:09:56 > 0:09:59she'd paid. But feeling she had little choice,
0:09:59 > 0:10:01she did eventually accept it.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05Even so, she feels very strongly that,
0:10:05 > 0:10:08considering the potential consequences of her taking the trip,
0:10:08 > 0:10:11and the fact that she hadn't been pregnant when she booked the
0:10:11 > 0:10:13flights, she's been treated unfairly.
0:10:16 > 0:10:21I think that it's awful that the airlines and the travel agencies
0:10:21 > 0:10:24don't help people in our situation,
0:10:24 > 0:10:28because they're actually encouraging people to make the wrong decision.
0:10:28 > 0:10:32They're encouraging people to go on holiday
0:10:32 > 0:10:36and put their unborn children at risk.
0:10:36 > 0:10:39I felt like they were punishing us because we weren't going,
0:10:39 > 0:10:46because we weren't willing to take the risk of putting our son or daughter in jeopardy.
0:10:46 > 0:10:50Well, when we got in touch with both the booking sites with which Alice
0:10:50 > 0:10:52had dealt, Bravofly told us that,
0:10:52 > 0:10:54while it understands the couple's frustrations,
0:10:54 > 0:10:58the airlines could make no exception to their usual policies on this.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01Not even for pregnant women.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04And while it appreciates that at the time of booking Alice
0:11:04 > 0:11:06hadn't known that she was pregnant,
0:11:06 > 0:11:09it says that at the point that she and Jeff booked, they were in a position to
0:11:09 > 0:11:13be aware of the Zika risk at their destination.
0:11:13 > 0:11:19However, it reiterated that a partial refund has been accepted by the couple.
0:11:19 > 0:11:21But there was better news from CheapOair.
0:11:21 > 0:11:25Though it too said that the tickets bought were non-refundable,
0:11:25 > 0:11:26and it was up to the airline,
0:11:26 > 0:11:31in this case JetBlue and Liat, to approve any refund in line with its own policy,
0:11:31 > 0:11:35the company says it worked hard to get that refund.
0:11:35 > 0:11:37And as a result,
0:11:37 > 0:11:41Alice and Jeff have now had all the money back for those particular
0:11:41 > 0:11:44tickets, with the cancellation fee waived.
0:11:44 > 0:11:46CheapOair says it's sorry there was a delay with this,
0:11:46 > 0:11:52but the airline refund process typically takes a minimum of around two months.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57And while getting even some of their money back does make a big
0:11:57 > 0:11:59difference to Alice and Jeff,
0:11:59 > 0:12:02their experience underlines just how important it is for any of us,
0:12:02 > 0:12:04pregnant or otherwise,
0:12:04 > 0:12:07to check official government advice on the country to which we are
0:12:07 > 0:12:09travelling before we book.
0:12:11 > 0:12:15And that's because in a case like this, the situation can quickly change.
0:12:15 > 0:12:18In fact, now the Zika virus has spread beyond Florida -
0:12:18 > 0:12:20turning up in Texas.
0:12:20 > 0:12:24And the World Health Organization has decided that the virus is here
0:12:24 > 0:12:29to stay and therefore no longer classed the spread itself an emergency.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32However, the health risks remain the same and they still consider it a
0:12:32 > 0:12:34significant public health challenge.
0:12:36 > 0:12:38And as we've suggested before,
0:12:38 > 0:12:41it's also worth making sure that any travel insurance you take out,
0:12:41 > 0:12:46comes into effect right away, and that it covers you for cancellations.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49But because Alice and Jeff didn't have that kind of protection,
0:12:49 > 0:12:53they've ended up almost £700 worse off.
0:12:53 > 0:12:55And although that's far from ideal,
0:12:55 > 0:12:58they say they'd rather lose the money than go ahead with the trip.
0:12:59 > 0:13:03Who would want to go somewhere where
0:13:03 > 0:13:06they're going to put their child at risk?
0:13:06 > 0:13:11It's just awful and I would never, ever risk that, to go abroad.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14- Yeah.- I'd never risk anything for our child.
0:13:21 > 0:13:23Now many travellers, myself included,
0:13:23 > 0:13:26love the fact that these days it's quick and easy to take our pets on
0:13:26 > 0:13:29holiday to Europe, rather than having to leave them behind,
0:13:29 > 0:13:32I don't like doing that. But the rules around this have changed since
0:13:32 > 0:13:37they first came in. And while normally we might consider any sort of relaxation
0:13:37 > 0:13:40of red tape to be a good thing, in this case it might not be,
0:13:40 > 0:13:44because some fear it could have opened the door to diseases that
0:13:44 > 0:13:47could prove deadly to dogs entering the country.
0:13:47 > 0:13:49And I'm afraid that's not just a notional risk.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52It's one of those diseases that's already here.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57Now, Frodo Baggins may look like an ordinary pug,
0:13:57 > 0:14:01but in fact he was a trailblazer back in the year 2000,
0:14:01 > 0:14:04becoming the first dog to get a pet passport.
0:14:04 > 0:14:09He arrived on a ferry crossing from Calais shortly after midnight.
0:14:09 > 0:14:11That meant he was free to travel with his owner, of course,
0:14:11 > 0:14:15across Europe, without the need to be quarantined when he got back to
0:14:15 > 0:14:19the UK. And where Frodo went, others followed.
0:14:19 > 0:14:21For the first time in over 100 years,
0:14:21 > 0:14:25pet owners rejoiced as their beloved companions would no longer have to
0:14:25 > 0:14:29spend weeks in kennels whilst they swanned off on their holidays.
0:14:29 > 0:14:32Well, there was certainly a moment for celebration in our household when,
0:14:32 > 0:14:35finally, my two Cavaliers, Gemma and Roxy,
0:14:35 > 0:14:36could come away with us to France.
0:14:36 > 0:14:39Something that we still do to this very day.
0:14:42 > 0:14:46Similarly, Holly Wilson, from Warwickshire, and her family had embraced the
0:14:46 > 0:14:49opportunity to holiday with their pet pooches.
0:14:49 > 0:14:52In 2012, they took Olive and Badger on a month-long trip
0:14:52 > 0:14:54to the south of France.
0:14:54 > 0:14:58Leaving the dogs behind for that long wasn't really an option,
0:14:58 > 0:15:02so some other friends had taken their dogs away, so we thought why not?
0:15:02 > 0:15:04It seemed quite easy, so we took them with us.
0:15:04 > 0:15:06The whole month was absolutely brilliant.
0:15:08 > 0:15:10Before the family had left the UK,
0:15:10 > 0:15:14they'd made sure that both dogs were right up-to-date with tick and
0:15:14 > 0:15:15tapeworm treatments.
0:15:16 > 0:15:21The vet had warned us that there would be more ticks in France than
0:15:21 > 0:15:25there would be in the UK, keep an eye on them, which we did.
0:15:25 > 0:15:28Towards the end of the holiday, about four days before we left,
0:15:28 > 0:15:33we found a tick on Olive, in our daily checks, and removed it with a
0:15:33 > 0:15:35tick remover and that was, kind of, the end of it.
0:15:35 > 0:15:37I wasn't particularly worried.
0:15:37 > 0:15:39But once that tick had been found,
0:15:39 > 0:15:42Olive had to see a French vet for more anti-tick treatment before her
0:15:42 > 0:15:44return to the UK.
0:15:44 > 0:15:47And while she was then given the OK to travel,
0:15:47 > 0:15:49by the time the day for that came around,
0:15:49 > 0:15:53Olive had started to lose her appetite and seemed just that little bit off colour.
0:15:53 > 0:15:57And on the journey home, she began to get much worse.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00She wouldn't drink anything, her gums, we actually checked,
0:16:00 > 0:16:05and they were bright white, which I knew was really not a good sign at all.
0:16:05 > 0:16:08Sadly, Olive was quickly going downhill.
0:16:08 > 0:16:14At that stage, I thought, "This is touch-and-go." And we really didn't know what to do.
0:16:14 > 0:16:15It was just an absolute nightmare.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18When they finally arrived back on British soil,
0:16:18 > 0:16:21the family drove to an emergency veterinary surgeon.
0:16:21 > 0:16:24But despite her symptoms of weakness,
0:16:24 > 0:16:27pale-coloured gums and coffee-coloured urine,
0:16:27 > 0:16:28the vets were left confounded.
0:16:28 > 0:16:34We went straight there and had some blood tests and they tested her straightaway.
0:16:34 > 0:16:37To begin with, nobody really knew what was wrong with her.
0:16:39 > 0:16:42Now, it was only by chance that a Polish vet working at the surgery
0:16:42 > 0:16:46recognised the symptoms from dogs that he treated back home.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49He suggested that Olive had contracted the tick-borne disease,
0:16:49 > 0:16:52which is called babesiosis, which is common in mainland Europe,
0:16:52 > 0:16:54but rare in the UK.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57And sadly in dogs, it can be fatal.
0:16:57 > 0:17:01So while it looked like the diagnosis had come in just in time for Olive,
0:17:01 > 0:17:03with the condition being so unusual,
0:17:03 > 0:17:06the vets struggled to find the medication needed to keep her alive.
0:17:08 > 0:17:11We literally had 12 hours to get the medication into her.
0:17:11 > 0:17:12She had to have a blood transfusion.
0:17:13 > 0:17:17Because it attacks the whole body, it shuts everything down.
0:17:18 > 0:17:19We really were...
0:17:19 > 0:17:21It was a race against time.
0:17:21 > 0:17:25My husband and I started phoning specialist vets around the country and,
0:17:25 > 0:17:30luckily, we found one near Luton that had actually got the drug in.
0:17:32 > 0:17:36Once she'd had the drugs, Olive made a rapid recovery.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39When we went back to pick her up in the vet, I've never had a greeting like it.
0:17:39 > 0:17:45She sort of jumped all over us and almost saying, "Thank you for making me feel better."
0:17:45 > 0:17:46It was amazing bringing her home.
0:17:48 > 0:17:52However, the family's relief was cut short when Holly found out that
0:17:52 > 0:17:56because Olive had contracted the disease outside the UK,
0:17:56 > 0:17:58her pet insurance wouldn't pay for any vet's bills,
0:17:58 > 0:18:01even though she'd been treated here in the UK,
0:18:01 > 0:18:07which meant that the family was left facing a bill of nearly £2,500.
0:18:07 > 0:18:11I definitely don't think the insurance company treated us fairly at all.
0:18:11 > 0:18:18Apparently it was in the small print that any European cover was not covered.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22But while making sure you have the right insurance for a pet travelling
0:18:22 > 0:18:24abroad is crucial,
0:18:24 > 0:18:28what's perhaps more of a concern is that Olive got bitten and fell ill
0:18:28 > 0:18:34just months after the changes in anti-tick controls under the pet passport scheme.
0:18:34 > 0:18:39And cases like this only magnify fears from some that this relaxation
0:18:39 > 0:18:43of the rules has made it easier for diseases like babesiosis
0:18:43 > 0:18:48to travel undetected from mainland Europe into the UK.
0:18:48 > 0:18:51Which, I'm afraid, does already seem to have become a reality.
0:18:51 > 0:18:53Because in 2015,
0:18:53 > 0:18:57a whole clutch of cases were reported around Harlow in Essex.
0:18:57 > 0:19:01Dog owners are being warned about an outbreak of a deadly disease that's
0:19:01 > 0:19:04entered the UK for the first time.
0:19:04 > 0:19:08Dean and Lisa's husky, Mishka, was one of the first to contract it.
0:19:08 > 0:19:13We first noticed there was something wrong with Mishka when she didn't eat,
0:19:13 > 0:19:18she was very tired, and when we asked if she wanted to go for a walk,
0:19:18 > 0:19:21she didn't want to move.
0:19:21 > 0:19:25The couple rushed Mishka to the vet, where the discovery of a tick,
0:19:25 > 0:19:30combined with the results of blood tests, led to a diagnosis of babesiosis.
0:19:30 > 0:19:34But again, the scarcity of medication for such a rare condition
0:19:34 > 0:19:37meant that Mishka was still in grave danger.
0:19:37 > 0:19:39They called us up, actually,
0:19:39 > 0:19:42to say that we're going to have to put Mishka to sleep.
0:19:42 > 0:19:44She was on the critical list.
0:19:44 > 0:19:48The only option left for Mishka was a blood transfusion.
0:19:48 > 0:19:52Mishka was given a 1% chance of surviving
0:19:52 > 0:19:55and we was going to do anything for
0:19:55 > 0:19:57that dog that was going to help it survive.
0:19:57 > 0:19:58Yeah, just to save her.
0:19:58 > 0:19:59Just to save her.
0:19:59 > 0:20:02Do you want to go walkies, Mishka?
0:20:03 > 0:20:07Mishka responded well to the blood transfusion, but, I'm afraid,
0:20:07 > 0:20:10in a really cruel twist of fate,
0:20:10 > 0:20:13she died just a few weeks later in a road traffic accident.
0:20:14 > 0:20:18The family's experience means that they remain extra vigilant about the
0:20:18 > 0:20:22risks posed by ticks and regularly treat and check their other dog,
0:20:22 > 0:20:24called Blue.
0:20:24 > 0:20:26We don't want to go through all that again.
0:20:26 > 0:20:31- It was awful.- I shouldn't be worried about taking my dog out for a walk
0:20:31 > 0:20:35along the path and worrying, "Has she got a tick?"
0:20:35 > 0:20:36I shouldn't have to worry.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39- No.- I shouldn't have to check her every single time I bring her home.
0:20:41 > 0:20:46Now, even abroad, it's rare for dogs to be bitten by a tick carrying babesiosis.
0:20:46 > 0:20:51And until recently, it had never happened to a dog here in the UK.
0:20:51 > 0:20:55But Mishka is one of five dogs, all from the same part of Essex,
0:20:55 > 0:20:59to contract the disease from ticks without going abroad.
0:20:59 > 0:21:03Vet Clive Swainsbury treated four of those dogs.
0:21:03 > 0:21:06We've now identified a population of ticks locally,
0:21:06 > 0:21:10that are infected with this parasite and transmitting it to dogs at the
0:21:10 > 0:21:13moment, in and around Harlow.
0:21:13 > 0:21:18And although Clive hasn't encountered any new cases since early 2016,
0:21:18 > 0:21:22as far as he's concerned, this is now a constant threat.
0:21:22 > 0:21:25It only needs for one dog to have a tick on it, to be put in the car and
0:21:25 > 0:21:27taken down to the West Country,
0:21:27 > 0:21:33and the next thing you know you'll have the disease breaking out down in the West Country. Nobody could...
0:21:33 > 0:21:35give accurate
0:21:35 > 0:21:37figures as to how quickly it's going to move.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39But we're fairly certain it's going to move.
0:21:39 > 0:21:42And eventually affect the whole of the country.
0:21:43 > 0:21:46So we asked the Department for Environment,
0:21:46 > 0:21:50Food & Rural Affairs why the pet passport scheme doesn't include
0:21:50 > 0:21:54mandatory anti-tick treatment, as some people say it should,
0:21:54 > 0:21:56and whether in light of the outbreak in Essex,
0:21:56 > 0:21:59it has plans to consider reintroducing such safeguards?
0:22:01 > 0:22:05It told us that since the UK...
0:22:05 > 0:22:08in 2012, it's meant that...
0:22:12 > 0:22:16And it explained the decision was based on a 2011
0:22:16 > 0:22:19veterinary risk assessment that judged there was...
0:22:23 > 0:22:26DEFRA went on to say it's really important that owners are aware of
0:22:26 > 0:22:30the risks that ticks can cause dogs, and deal with them responsibly.
0:22:30 > 0:22:34It recommended speaking to a vet about routine preventative treatments.
0:22:37 > 0:22:42But Holly and Dean and Lisa are convinced that the only solution is
0:22:42 > 0:22:44for the pet passport rules to be tightened up again.
0:22:44 > 0:22:48And that it's made compulsory for dogs travelling to and from mainland
0:22:48 > 0:22:52Europe to get the treatment that can stop such diseases spreading.
0:22:53 > 0:22:57We've only been seeing these diseases since the law's been changed,
0:22:57 > 0:22:59so I definitely think it needs changing back.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02We need to stop any other diseases coming into the UK,
0:23:02 > 0:23:04because it's putting all our dogs at risk.
0:23:05 > 0:23:10The rules of bringing dogs in and out of the country have got to be changed.
0:23:10 > 0:23:16Being able to take a dog abroad without any checks, and being
0:23:16 > 0:23:21able to bring a dog back in without giving them checks is just wrong.
0:23:28 > 0:23:32Our travel expert Simon Calder has all the secrets to save you money
0:23:32 > 0:23:36whilst travelling. He has the top tips on how to avoid the crowds,
0:23:36 > 0:23:39and the best way to stay clear of those tourist traps.
0:23:41 > 0:23:46This time, three top destinations that you probably never thought of visiting.
0:23:46 > 0:23:50All sorts of places claim to be the next big thing in holidays,
0:23:50 > 0:23:54but Simon has picked some close to home that don't yet have anything
0:23:54 > 0:23:59like the number of tourists they should, meaning lower prices and fewer crowds.
0:23:59 > 0:24:03Starting with a relatively undiscovered corner of one of
0:24:03 > 0:24:05the most popular destinations of all.
0:24:05 > 0:24:08Our favourite foreign country, Spain, of course.
0:24:08 > 0:24:13Is there an inch of Mediterranean coastline that the British aren't
0:24:13 > 0:24:18all over, with beer by the pint and full English breakfasts by the dozen?
0:24:18 > 0:24:23And is there a Spanish coastal city that hasn't been completely overrun by tourists?
0:24:23 > 0:24:25Where there's still room to breathe?
0:24:28 > 0:24:31Well, Simon thinks the answer to both questions
0:24:31 > 0:24:33is the city of Cartagena.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36It's been reinvented as a cultured and welcoming location,
0:24:36 > 0:24:39with a museum of underwater archaeology,
0:24:39 > 0:24:43as well as an imposing hilltop castle that you can reach by lift.
0:24:43 > 0:24:47And all of this less than half an hour from Murcia Airport.
0:24:47 > 0:24:51Next - a waterside holiday doesn't have to involve the sea,
0:24:51 > 0:24:53a large lake will do.
0:24:53 > 0:24:59And my favourite is in the deep south of the former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia.
0:24:59 > 0:25:02A beautiful lake that defies its name -
0:25:02 > 0:25:06Ohrid. And it's just a budget flight away from lovely Luton Airport.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10Simon says the city of Ohrid is the perfect setting
0:25:10 > 0:25:12for a tranquil family holiday,
0:25:12 > 0:25:16from where you can explore ancient monasteries and soaring mountains.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20As for his final emerging destination...
0:25:20 > 0:25:25The tourism success story of the 21st century is been in the Gulf,
0:25:25 > 0:25:29where Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha have turned themselves from dusty,
0:25:29 > 0:25:33airline pit stops to glittering clusters of skyscrapers.
0:25:33 > 0:25:36Yet, if you dig a little deeper,
0:25:36 > 0:25:41you can discover fragments of Arabia that have barely changed in centuries.
0:25:42 > 0:25:44He's very convincing.
0:25:44 > 0:25:48Simon's top tip in the region is to take a trip to historic Dubai Creek
0:25:48 > 0:25:50and the vast Jumeirah Mosque,
0:25:50 > 0:25:53both in the United Arab Emirates' Dubai City.
0:25:57 > 0:25:59Still to come on Rip Off Britain -
0:25:59 > 0:26:03could even Britain's cleanest beaches sometimes be awash with
0:26:03 > 0:26:06things that you might not want to swim in?
0:26:06 > 0:26:10So this overflow will end up being discharged just onto the beach down
0:26:10 > 0:26:13here, where you can see people paddling in the mouth of the river,
0:26:13 > 0:26:15where you can see the surfers surfing.
0:26:18 > 0:26:23We've been on the road to hear your stories and share tips and advice face-to-face.
0:26:23 > 0:26:25We watch you on the TV all the time.
0:26:25 > 0:26:27- Oh, thank you.- This programme is excellent.
0:26:27 > 0:26:31And we had travel expert Simon Calder on-hand to answer all your
0:26:31 > 0:26:35complaints about holidays, including this one from Mike Slade.
0:26:35 > 0:26:40He spent £2,800 on a four-star holiday to Tenerife,
0:26:40 > 0:26:42using a travel company he found on the internet.
0:26:42 > 0:26:46But things started to go wrong from the moment he booked.
0:26:47 > 0:26:51When we got the paperwork through, it was the wrong hotel,
0:26:51 > 0:26:52they got my name wrong,
0:26:52 > 0:26:58my wife's name wrong, and we only had a week and a half to go before
0:26:58 > 0:27:00we were going.
0:27:00 > 0:27:01'Not the best start.
0:27:01 > 0:27:06'And things only got worse when Mike and his family arrived in Tenerife.'
0:27:06 > 0:27:10Basically, we got off the plane looking for our taxi and there was
0:27:10 > 0:27:14nothing. So I had to walk round the airport for about half an hour and I
0:27:14 > 0:27:19eventually found a little booth with this company's name on.
0:27:19 > 0:27:23We waited there for another half an hour for this guy to saunter up and
0:27:23 > 0:27:26not even say, "Are you Mr Slade?"
0:27:26 > 0:27:27He just went, "Taxi?"
0:27:27 > 0:27:31When you got to the hotel, did it live up to the four-star rating?
0:27:31 > 0:27:36No. When we eventually got here, and I just happened to look at the sign...
0:27:36 > 0:27:38And it had - three-star.
0:27:38 > 0:27:40My heart sank.
0:27:40 > 0:27:44'The hotel was miles from anywhere, on the side of a mountain.
0:27:44 > 0:27:48'Mike claims his family all suffered stomach problems after eating the food
0:27:48 > 0:27:49'and, as far as he was concerned,
0:27:49 > 0:27:53'the whole place had seen far better days and didn't even merit its
0:27:53 > 0:27:56'three stars. But as we've heard before,
0:27:56 > 0:28:02'discovering how many stars a hotel really deserves is no easy task.'
0:28:02 > 0:28:08Well, what I've read up about star ratings, it's just unbelievable.
0:28:08 > 0:28:12First of all, there's no great international system which says that
0:28:12 > 0:28:15a four-star hotel has to have this, and this, and this, and this.
0:28:15 > 0:28:17It's all done nationally.
0:28:17 > 0:28:20And even then, they will say, typically again,
0:28:20 > 0:28:22in the terms and conditions -
0:28:22 > 0:28:25"Of course, star ratings are just what the hotel says it is."
0:28:25 > 0:28:28- But that's ridiculous, isn't it? - Well, of course it is.- Who do you trust?
0:28:28 > 0:28:33Well, you trust, ultimately, a tour operator that if they are selling
0:28:33 > 0:28:38something as a four-star, and it's actually a three-star with, I would say,
0:28:38 > 0:28:41two-star tendencies, in your case, then you can say,
0:28:41 > 0:28:43"Oi, that's not what I booked."
0:28:43 > 0:28:47'Now, you might think Mike should get compensation after paying for a
0:28:47 > 0:28:51'four-star hotel but only getting a pretty ropey three-star one,
0:28:51 > 0:28:53'but that's where things get tricky.'
0:28:54 > 0:28:56If it's an online travel agent,
0:28:56 > 0:29:00they are very different from proper package tour operators.
0:29:00 > 0:29:02When you book a proper package holiday,
0:29:02 > 0:29:05you get all manner of fantastic consumer protection,
0:29:05 > 0:29:09like delivering the holiday you think you've bought, but, in fact,
0:29:09 > 0:29:12when you're going through an online travel agent, they just say,
0:29:12 > 0:29:14"Well, we'll act as an agent, we'll go and get your flights,
0:29:14 > 0:29:18"we'll act as an agent and get your hotel, maybe some car rental."
0:29:18 > 0:29:20But these are all individual transactions,
0:29:20 > 0:29:24and your contract is with the airline, or the hotel,
0:29:24 > 0:29:27which is a really uncomfortable position for you to be in.
0:29:27 > 0:29:30Exactly, when you've got no coverage, when you've done it all individually?
0:29:30 > 0:29:32Exactly. If you've got a proper package,
0:29:32 > 0:29:35then effectively from the moment you turn up at Liverpool or Manchester
0:29:35 > 0:29:38Airport, or wherever, to the moment you get home,
0:29:38 > 0:29:40there's someone you can yell at.
0:29:41 > 0:29:44'But whatever individual arrangements the company he booked with made with
0:29:44 > 0:29:48'its suppliers, Mike believes that, to all intents and purposes,
0:29:48 > 0:29:50'it did sell him a package.
0:29:51 > 0:29:55'When he complained, he was offered £162 compensation,
0:29:55 > 0:30:00'and he doesn't believe that covers the difference between what he booked and what he got.'
0:30:02 > 0:30:07As I said to them, I didn't book the hotel, they booked it.
0:30:07 > 0:30:11I didn't book the flights, they booked it, I didn't book the taxi,
0:30:11 > 0:30:13because they booked it, so me, personally,
0:30:13 > 0:30:16I class that as a package.
0:30:16 > 0:30:17You might class it as a package,
0:30:17 > 0:30:19but they make absolutely clear that it isn't,
0:30:19 > 0:30:24and they make it clear that they were only booking it on your behalf.
0:30:24 > 0:30:27'Simon says when we book what looks like a package online,
0:30:27 > 0:30:30'we should check very carefully whether that's what it actually is,
0:30:30 > 0:30:34'because if, technically, it isn't, as Mike's now realised,
0:30:34 > 0:30:37'it can make resolving a complaint much more difficult.'
0:30:38 > 0:30:41The internet is a fantastic thing for travel,
0:30:41 > 0:30:45but you do need to understand that there's an awful lot of tricks and
0:30:45 > 0:30:49pitfalls out there, and it seems that you fell victim, I'm afraid,
0:30:49 > 0:30:50- to many of them.- Yes.
0:30:50 > 0:30:54So, I'm afraid, I think you're lucky to get anything.
0:30:58 > 0:31:01Now, I don't know how recently you've taken a dip at the seaside in
0:31:01 > 0:31:05Britain, but over the last two decades our coast has been transformed.
0:31:05 > 0:31:10Water quality has improved to such a dramatic extent that almost 95% of
0:31:10 > 0:31:13our beaches have been given a clean bill of health.
0:31:13 > 0:31:19But some people say those impressive-sounding figures don't quite tell the full story,
0:31:19 > 0:31:23because there are some days when even the highest-scoring shores may
0:31:23 > 0:31:28fall foul of things you'd really rather not find yourself swimming in or with.
0:31:31 > 0:31:331988.
0:31:33 > 0:31:36# I should be so lucky in love. #
0:31:36 > 0:31:39The year when Kylie was queen of pop.
0:31:39 > 0:31:43# She wants to dance with me. #
0:31:43 > 0:31:45Rick Astley was strutting his stuff,
0:31:47 > 0:31:50And Bros were melting teenage hearts.
0:31:50 > 0:31:54# Nothing at all. #
0:31:58 > 0:32:02It was also the year when a third of the bathing waters around the UK
0:32:02 > 0:32:04were deemed unsafe to swim in.
0:32:08 > 0:32:09Fast forward to today,
0:32:09 > 0:32:12and while all those artists are still going strong,
0:32:12 > 0:32:15our beaches have gone from strength to strength too,
0:32:15 > 0:32:19almost 95% now have excellent water quality.
0:32:21 > 0:32:22In our holiday series last year,
0:32:22 > 0:32:27we visited some of those beaches, to see how EU regulations were aiming
0:32:27 > 0:32:29to push these standards even higher.
0:32:29 > 0:32:34The revised Bathing Water Directive came fully into force in 2015.
0:32:34 > 0:32:38This makes the bathing water quality standards twice as stringent as the
0:32:38 > 0:32:39previous directive.
0:32:40 > 0:32:44One of the beaches that boasts excellent bathing quality is this one,
0:32:44 > 0:32:46Godrevy Beach in Cornwall.
0:32:46 > 0:32:49But for local surfer Hugo Tagholm,
0:32:49 > 0:32:53there's more to these crystal-clear waters than meets the eye.
0:32:53 > 0:32:572km upstream, deep in the woods, is the Red River,
0:32:57 > 0:33:01which takes its name from the colour created by mineral deposits in the riverbed.
0:33:01 > 0:33:07It flows directly down onto Godrevy Beach, and out into the bay.
0:33:07 > 0:33:08As it does so, however,
0:33:08 > 0:33:12it occasionally picks up things along the way that give Hugo and
0:33:12 > 0:33:15other local surfers cause for concern.
0:33:15 > 0:33:20So this is one of two combined sewer overflows that discharges into the
0:33:20 > 0:33:25Red River. This discharged eight times last year in the bathing season,
0:33:25 > 0:33:28and, actually, it puts sewage into the stream, the Red River,
0:33:28 > 0:33:32that runs down to one of Cornwall's best beaches.
0:33:32 > 0:33:36Combined sewer overflows like this one, CSOs, for short,
0:33:36 > 0:33:40are tunnels used when the local sewerage system overflows,
0:33:40 > 0:33:43for example when there's heavy rain.
0:33:43 > 0:33:45To avoid sewage backing up into our homes,
0:33:45 > 0:33:49these systems divert it elsewhere, and in this case,
0:33:49 > 0:33:52that means out to sea, and onto the beach.
0:33:53 > 0:33:55So there are visible signs on the grille here.
0:33:55 > 0:33:59We've got toilet paper and cotton bud sticks.
0:33:59 > 0:34:01They are what we call sewage-related debris.
0:34:01 > 0:34:04Sometimes we see them in the bushes up and down the river here,
0:34:04 > 0:34:06next to the mouth of the CSO,
0:34:06 > 0:34:10and they show that sewage has passed through this grille
0:34:10 > 0:34:14relatively recently, when people are using the beach just 2km downstream.
0:34:16 > 0:34:19Hugo heads a charity called Surfers Against Sewage,
0:34:19 > 0:34:22which is campaigning for tighter limits to be placed on the use of
0:34:22 > 0:34:26these CSOs, particularly around beaches.
0:34:26 > 0:34:30So the combined sewer overflows will end up being discharged just onto
0:34:30 > 0:34:33the beach down here, where you can see people paddling in the mouth of
0:34:33 > 0:34:35the river, where you can see the surfers surfing.
0:34:37 > 0:34:40Any pollution in the waters here doesn't just come from the CSOs
0:34:40 > 0:34:45discharging. In 2015, after tests found that rainwater run-off from
0:34:45 > 0:34:49roads, rooftops and farmyards could also contribute,
0:34:49 > 0:34:53the Environment Agency concluded that even if CSOs weren't used,
0:34:53 > 0:34:56some pollution would still end up in the bathing water.
0:34:56 > 0:34:59But for Hugo and the other surfers in the group,
0:34:59 > 0:35:02it's CSOs that are the biggest problem.
0:35:02 > 0:35:05They're worried that anyone swimming or surfing in the water could be at
0:35:05 > 0:35:12risk of getting sick from the raw, untreated sewage that several times a year flows onto the beaches.
0:35:12 > 0:35:17That human sewage can carry with it pathogens and bacteria that can make
0:35:17 > 0:35:20people very sick if they come into contact with it.
0:35:20 > 0:35:24They can get ear, eye, nose, throat infections, and much worse.
0:35:25 > 0:35:29Hugo and his colleagues claim they often suffer from tummy upsets and
0:35:29 > 0:35:33sickness, which they are convinced are caused by inadvertently
0:35:33 > 0:35:35swallowing raw sewage while swimming in the area.
0:35:39 > 0:35:43Surf school owner and former British longboard champion Dominique Kent,
0:35:43 > 0:35:48for example, believes she has been made ill by swimming in or near sewage.
0:35:48 > 0:35:51OK, look straight up the beach and arms out.
0:35:53 > 0:35:57A sewage discharge pipe flows downstream and onto the beach where
0:35:57 > 0:35:59her business is based in St Agnes.
0:35:59 > 0:36:02She reckons that's caused her to suffer from sickness and diarrhoea
0:36:02 > 0:36:04three or four times in the past five years.
0:36:06 > 0:36:08Good, well done, guys. Well done.
0:36:08 > 0:36:12Now, of course it's impossible to prove that any illness Dominique has
0:36:12 > 0:36:15suffered is down to contact with infected water on the beach,
0:36:15 > 0:36:18but with a discharge pipe so close,
0:36:18 > 0:36:22she is concerned about the effect this may be having not just on her health,
0:36:22 > 0:36:25but her customers' too.
0:36:25 > 0:36:28Sometimes we have to stop lessons because we've got sewage coming down
0:36:28 > 0:36:30the beach. I'm very conscious of my clients.
0:36:30 > 0:36:33I don't want them to get sick, which means I lose business.
0:36:33 > 0:36:36It's not just my business that's affected, it's all the local businesses.
0:36:36 > 0:36:40If tourists come down here getting poorly, getting sick from the sewerage,
0:36:40 > 0:36:42it's going to have an adverse affect on tourism.
0:36:42 > 0:36:44Cornwall is a lovely place to come and visit.
0:36:44 > 0:36:48We want to keep it nice and pure, keep the sewage off the beaches.
0:36:48 > 0:36:52Using CSOs to cope with sewage overflow isn't confined to Cornwall.
0:36:52 > 0:36:57All around the UK, the same method is used by water companies to
0:36:57 > 0:37:02disperse sewage when the main systems get full, and according to Hugo's data,
0:37:02 > 0:37:04collected direct from water companies,
0:37:04 > 0:37:09there were 926 of these overflow events in the 2015 bathing season in
0:37:09 > 0:37:14England alone. Campaigners say that's simply too much, and for Hugo
0:37:14 > 0:37:18it's even more of a worry when this happens on beaches deemed to have
0:37:18 > 0:37:21excellent water quality, like Godrevy.
0:37:21 > 0:37:24His message to those responsible for those beaches is clear.
0:37:24 > 0:37:29They need to make sure that their users, the visitors to that beach,
0:37:29 > 0:37:32can avoid that sewage pollution as and when it happens.
0:37:34 > 0:37:38The official advice is to avoid swimming in the water for the
0:37:38 > 0:37:4148 hours after a CSO has been discharged.
0:37:41 > 0:37:44Of course, knowing when that might have been,
0:37:44 > 0:37:47especially if you're a visitor to the area, can be tricky,
0:37:47 > 0:37:52but there are telltale signs that sewage has been released recently into the water.
0:37:55 > 0:37:59At this beach at Cramond, near Edinburgh, an annual clean-up is under way,
0:37:59 > 0:38:03led by the Marine Conservation Society.
0:38:03 > 0:38:07There's about 80 beaches around Scotland, about 300 all around the UK,
0:38:07 > 0:38:08and thousands all around the world
0:38:08 > 0:38:11that are part of the International Coastal Cleanup.
0:38:11 > 0:38:15This particular beach isn't one of Scotland's 84 designated
0:38:15 > 0:38:20bathing waters but it is part of a study into sewage-related debris.
0:38:21 > 0:38:25Much of the rubbish being collected is made up of wet wipes and
0:38:25 > 0:38:28cotton buds, and though it's possible that some of this could have been dropped as litter,
0:38:28 > 0:38:33the Marine Conservation Society believes it's more likely to be
0:38:33 > 0:38:36evidence of a sewage release into the waters nearby.
0:38:38 > 0:38:41I've been involved in this project with the Marine Conservation Society
0:38:41 > 0:38:45for 16 years, and I'm still shocked by what we're finding on the beach,
0:38:45 > 0:38:49and the amounts of rubbish, particularly the sewage debris.
0:38:50 > 0:38:54Clean-ups such as these do go part of the way to improve our beaches
0:38:54 > 0:38:57but there's more that we can all do at home.
0:38:57 > 0:39:01It's a very simple message for people only to flush pee,
0:39:01 > 0:39:05poo and paper down the toilet and not flush these items down,
0:39:05 > 0:39:07because it can end up spoiling our beaches.
0:39:10 > 0:39:11But back in Cornwall,
0:39:11 > 0:39:15Hugo believes that by the time you spot any wet wipes or other
0:39:15 > 0:39:21sewage-related debris, chances are you may have already been swimming in, or near the sewage.
0:39:21 > 0:39:25So Surfers Against Sewage has introduced an app to help bathers know when
0:39:25 > 0:39:29an overflow has occurred, and therefore which waters could be affected.
0:39:31 > 0:39:32If sewage is going into the sea,
0:39:32 > 0:39:36we believe that people should know about that in real-time.
0:39:36 > 0:39:38If they know about it in real-time,
0:39:38 > 0:39:42they can avoid that pollution and choose to bathe at a different beach
0:39:42 > 0:39:46until the pollution risk has passed, basically.
0:39:46 > 0:39:49So the water companies are being proactive and it's part of our strategy
0:39:49 > 0:39:54to call for that information to become a mandatory requirement for all water companies.
0:39:56 > 0:39:59Hugo and his colleagues are working with water companies to encourage
0:39:59 > 0:40:03them to share details of any sewage discharge, so that the information
0:40:03 > 0:40:07can be fed into the app, which is available to download for free.
0:40:08 > 0:40:13The Safer Sea Service provides real-time sewage-alert information
0:40:13 > 0:40:16at over 330 locations.
0:40:16 > 0:40:22We've got about 20,000 subscribers who receive real-time push messages
0:40:22 > 0:40:26for their favourite beaches, so they know if there is a sewage discharge,
0:40:26 > 0:40:30and they can avoid potentially using that beach on that day.
0:40:30 > 0:40:33Well, when we contacted Water UK,
0:40:33 > 0:40:37which represents all the major water providers across the country,
0:40:37 > 0:40:41it told us that CSOs act as a vital and legal relief valve,
0:40:41 > 0:40:46allowing excess flows of highly diluted water, which passes through screens
0:40:46 > 0:40:49to remove plastic and rags, to be released into rivers and the sea...
0:40:54 > 0:40:56It stressed...
0:41:00 > 0:41:04..adding that the only real alternative to CSOs would be expensive and
0:41:04 > 0:41:09disruptive work to fully separate surface water from the sewerage network,
0:41:09 > 0:41:12which would not only cost billions of pounds but in the short-term...
0:41:16 > 0:41:17And South West Water,
0:41:17 > 0:41:22which is responsible for those beautiful Cornish beaches we filmed at,
0:41:22 > 0:41:27told us that since it was established in 1989, it has invested over £2.3 billion
0:41:27 > 0:41:31to protect and improve the region's bathing waters...
0:41:36 > 0:41:40And it's also pioneered a voluntary information service called Beach Live,
0:41:40 > 0:41:47that provides free public alerts when storm water overflows may affect bathing water quality.
0:41:47 > 0:41:51It went on to say that the water at these beaches was classified as
0:41:51 > 0:41:55excellent under the tough new standards introduced in 2015
0:41:55 > 0:42:01and pointed out that all this is a far cry from the days when raw sewage was routinely
0:42:01 > 0:42:05discharged from residents' homes directly into the sea.
0:42:07 > 0:42:10And while he recognises what progress has been made,
0:42:10 > 0:42:16Hugo looks forward to the day when no sewage at all goes anywhere near our cleanest beaches.
0:42:16 > 0:42:18We all need to enjoy our coastline.
0:42:18 > 0:42:21We want to encourage people to get onto the beach, to get into the water,
0:42:21 > 0:42:26to experience a really clean and healthy and happy time at the seaside,
0:42:26 > 0:42:30and so this is about just protecting people where they need to be protected.
0:42:36 > 0:42:40Well, I think it's clear that whether you take your holiday abroad,
0:42:40 > 0:42:44or in the UK, it's very easy to pick up an illness that proves to be a very unwelcome souvenir
0:42:44 > 0:42:46of your particular trip.
0:42:46 > 0:42:49But I suppose, more positively, what we all hope,
0:42:49 > 0:42:52is that you've also be able to pick up some really useful
0:42:52 > 0:42:56tips on how to reduce the chance of falling foul of the particular
0:42:56 > 0:42:59conditions and situations that we've talked about today, in the first place.
0:42:59 > 0:43:02And at this point I might weep because you know I'm a really,
0:43:02 > 0:43:06really keen dog owner myself and the story about those poor animals
0:43:06 > 0:43:10infected with that truly nasty disease was a real wake-up call for me,
0:43:10 > 0:43:14especially as we do take them abroad quite a bit when we go on holiday.
0:43:14 > 0:43:19So, at least now I'll know to actually keep an extra eye open and have them checked,
0:43:19 > 0:43:22just in case any of those ticks might catch up with them and
0:43:22 > 0:43:23cause them a bit of a problem.
0:43:23 > 0:43:27We hope that wherever you are or where you go, with your pets or without,
0:43:27 > 0:43:29you have a happy and healthy holiday,
0:43:29 > 0:43:32and we'll see you again very soon, to investigate more of your stories,
0:43:32 > 0:43:35so do, please, keep them coming.
0:43:35 > 0:43:37For now, though, from all of us, goodbye.
0:43:37 > 0:43:39- Bye.- Bye.