A holidaymaker who broke both her legs in a fall at a hotel in the Dominican Republic has won damages after a five-year legal battle.

Valerie Holden, 55, was holidaying on the Caribbean island with her partner. On the morning after they arrived, she got out of bed and fell down some steps that were ‘practically invisible’, landing on a hard marble floor.

She broke both her legs in the accident and required immediate surgery. As a result, she had to spend the rest of her holiday in hospital. The seriousness of her injuries also meant that she had to undergo further surgery and treatment when she returned home.

Despite having extensive treatment, Ms Holden has been left with a permanent impairment.

In her opinion, the holiday company involved, Thompson, gave the appearance of not caring about what had happened to her and she wanted to make sure something was done about the safety standards at the hotel.

She decided to pursue a claim against the company as a matter of principle and, after a protracted legal battle, won compensation for her injuries.