A BRITISH couple are suing after claiming their five-star sunshine break turned into a ‘holiday from hell’.

George and Kaye Downie say their week-long trip to Turkey to celebrate Kaye’s 50th birthday was ruined when they were struck down by a severe vomiting bug which left them with agonising stomach cramps, vomiting and diarrhoea.

The couple from Clifton, Salford, were so appalled by the Club Armar Hotel in Marmaris that they have started legal proceedings against Surrey travel company Goldtrail. They say they want to stop others suffering in the same way.

Mr Downie, 54, a buildings manager for the University of Manchester, slammed the ‘atrocious’ accommodation.

He said their room was shabby, the bathroom was filthy and their food from the restaurant was so cold they had to heat it up in the microwave.

He said: “I wanted the break to be extra-special, but the whole experience was terrible. We had never seen anything like it – it was an absolute hell hole.

“The drinks from the bar tasted strange. The next day we woke up with severe stomach cramp and vomiting and diarrhoea – and we were ill for the rest of the holiday.”

Mr Downie says they were moved to Club Armar just before going on holiday after Goldtrail told them the five-star hotel they had booked had closed down.

Irwin Mitchell solicitor Amandeep Dhillon is acting on behalf of the couple and says the firm has won damages from Goldtrail on behalf of more than 100 clients who have suffered similarly over recent years.

A spokeswoman for Goldtrail said the company had investigated the claims and there was nothing to suggest food provided by the hotel had caused guests to become ill.