A family from Essex who suffered from gastric illness while on holiday in Egypt have won a five-figure compensation settlement from the tour operator.

Rae Claydon and his partner Rachel went on holiday for a week in December 2014 to celebrate their anniversary. Rae's mother and Rachel's five-year-old daughter were also with them.

On the second morning of their stay, Rachel woke up covered with insect bites. The family were moved to different rooms, but soon began to suffer from sickness, stomach cramps and diarrhoea. Their holiday was ruined and Rachel continued to experience symptoms after returning home.

The family decided to investigate the possibility of claiming compensation. They gave evidence that dirty plates and cutlery had been used in the restaurant, food had sometimes been reheated so that it could be served on more than one occasion and some of the rooms they had been offered were dirty.

The tour operator did not admit liability for the illnesses the family suffered, but agreed to a five-figure settlement of their claim.