I nearly died after eating omelette at hotel buffet in Gran Canaria – but it was my daughter who was scarred for life
HOLIDAY HELL I nearly died after eating omelette at hotel buffet in Gran Canaria – but it was my daughter who was scarred for life
After screaming in agony surrounded by blood and vomit, mum Michelle was overcome with a sense she was about to die. But little Lizzie, then 11, developed a devastating disorder that ruled her life for the next 12 years
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Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Scottish Sun
I nearly died after eating omelette at hotel buffet in Gran Canaria – but it was my daughter who was scarred for life
Exclusive HOLIDAY HELL I nearly died after eating omelette at hotel buffet in Gran Canaria – but it was my daughter who was scarred for life After screaming in agony surrounded by blood and vomit, mum Michelle was overcome with a sense she was about to die. But little Lizzie, then 11, developed a devastating disorder that ruled her life for the next 12 years
The Sun
2 days ago
- The Sun
I nearly died after eating omelette at hotel buffet in Gran Canaria – but it was my daughter who was scarred for life
WHEN Michelle Dell booked a summer holiday to Gran Canaria, she expected two weeks of fun in the sun. But just days after arriving, the Sheffield mum fell gravely ill - and before long, she knew she was dying. 17 17 The terrifying ordeal left an even deeper scar on her daughter Lizzie, then 11, who developed a devastating phobia that ruled her life for the next 12 years. Michelle tells The Sun: 'I feel lucky every day of my life to still be here but, also, I have felt terrible guilt for what happened to Lizzie - wondering if we could have done anything differently. 'It took me four years to recover and I now have lots of long-term health problems. 'None of that matters though, because I'm still here.' The family's nightmare began in the summer of 2012 after jetting to Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands with friends. The group upgraded to a new four-star hotel in the popular seaside resort Playa del Ingles after two nights, because the first one they had booked was disappointing. Michelle, along with husband Wayne, 52, and daughters Lizzie and Rosie, then 10, were in an apartment, with six other pals on the trip located next door. On the third night of the holiday, the group went for a buffet dinner in the hotel's restaurant. Michelle says: 'As all-inclusives go, this one felt good quality and the choice of food was good. 'I'm a bit of a clean freak and it seemed very clean. What is salmonella, what are the symptoms and treatment? 'I and five others in the group went for the Spanish omelette, which tasted perfectly good.' The group headed out for a few rosés, gin and tonics and Spanish lagers at a nearby bar. But the next day, things took a dramatic turn. Michelle says: 'In the morning, I went onto my balcony and our friends next door said one of the group had been up all night sick with a bug. 'We had a bit of a giggle and made light of it because we thought it was very minor but as I was talking, I thought, 'Oh goodness, I need the toilet.'' Michelle suffered sudden diarrhoea, but assumed it was a minor travel bug. Within hours, four others were sick. Michelle was getting worse with every passing minute. It was like the worst horror film I'd ever seen. There was blood all over the floor, sick everywhere and she was screaming in agony LizzieDaughter She says: 'I was doubled over in agony. I'm not really one to make a fuss but it was absolutely the worst pain I've ever felt in my life. 'It was as though somebody's hands were inside my tummy twisting it and the pain wouldn't stop.' The hotel doctor was called and tried multiple times to put a cannula in her arm to get fluids in, but Michelle was too poorly and couldn't be rehydrated. Michelle says: 'By this time I felt like I'd been drugged and was drifting in and out of consciousness.' Wayne and Michelle had tried to shield the girls from the events unfolding by asking them to stay in their beds - which were separated from their bed by a small partition wall. But for Lizzie, hearing her mum's screams was distressing. Lizzie says: 'When I did see her it was like the worst horror film I'd ever seen. 'There was blood all over the floor from the cannula being taken in and out. 'There was sick everywhere because mum was vomiting so much. She was screaming in agony.' 17 17 17 17 Taken to a local hospital in Maspalomas, she was given fluids and sent back to the hotel hours later - still with no diagnosis. The next day, on day five of the holiday, she collapsed again and was rushed to a larger hospital. Doctors soon discovered she had contracted an extreme case of salmonella - a bacterial infection linked to food poisoning. Michelle says: 'My body was swollen and huge with the fluids. My eyelids couldn't even open properly. 'I remember phoning my mum in England from my bed and saying, 'I think I'm going to die.' 'There was something telling my brain: 'It doesn't matter what you do now, your body's taken over.' I thought my internal organs were shutting down.' As the rest of the group began to recover, Wayne stayed with the kids, trying to keep things as normal as possible. In despair, Michelle called him. She says: 'I told him, 'You need to come back to the hospital because something's happening. I'm falling really ill again'. 'He was having pizza with the girls, but I insisted, 'You need to come now. This is really serious'. 'The staff kept saying, 'You are fine'. I'm not a melodramatic person but when he came in, I sobbed. 'I told him, 'I am not fine. I'm going to die. You need to tell them to get me a doctor now to do more tests. Please make them understand I'm just not a hysterical woman. I am ill'.' The worrying rise in salmonella cases By Isabel Shaw, Health Reporter SALMONELLA cases are at a record high in Britain - and there are some key signs you can look out for. In the most recent outbreak, over 100 people were sickened and 14 rushed to hospital after eating tomatoes. Health officials urged Brits to be on high alert for the symptoms of salmonella infection, which can last anywhere from four to seven days. Cases hit a record decade high in 2024, soaring by almost a fifth in a single year to over 10,000 cases, UKHSA data shows. Separate statistics reveal cases in the first quarter of 2025 were even higher than 2024, with some 1,588 cases logged between January and March 2025, up on the 1,541 reported over the same period in 2024. By comparison, there were 1,328 reports between January and March 2023. Children under 10 were particularly affected, accounting for 21.5 per cent of cases. Salmonella, which lives in the guts of animals and humans and spreads through contaminated poo, can cause a sudden bout of fever, vomiting, explosive diarrhoea, stomach pains and headaches, often striking within hours of eating tainted food. The bacteria, which often taints food if grown in dirty water or handled with grubby hands, attacks the gut lining, damaging cells and stopping the body from soaking up water. This is what leads to the painful cramps and non-stop diarrhoea as the body flushes out the water it couldn't absorb. Most people recover without treatment, but in rare cases it can turn deadly. Around one in 50 sufferers go on to develop a serious blood infection, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). Young children, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems are most at risk of complications. Thankfully, deaths remain rare in the UK, with fatal cases making up just 0.2 per cent of reports. Wayne fought Michelle's corner and doctors agreed to retest her. They found she had sepsis, a deadly immune reaction to an infection that needs to be treated rapidly. One of the key symptoms of sepsis is someone saying they feel like they are dying, according to the UK Sepsis Trust, as well as a high temperature, chills, a rapid heart rate, a rash that doesn't fade when pressed and breathlessness. The body overreacts to the infection and starts attacking itself, damaging its own tissues and organs. 17 17 17 Michelle began to stabilise after her treatment was changed, with a new antibiotic. Later, doctors told her they believed it was the hotel's Spanish omelette that caused her illness, due to the timings of events. Friends also told Michelle that other guests, like the five in her party, had eaten the omelettes and got sick too. Michelle's daughters flew home with the rest of the group after the fortnight holiday ended and went to stay with their grandparents, while Wayne stayed at Michelle's bedside. She gradually started to feel better, and flew home a week later, but has been left with after-effects, as 40 per cent of survivors are. She lives with chronic fatigue (also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis, or ME), non-epileptic seizures, chronic migraines and functional neurological disorder - a problem with how the brain receives and sends information to the rest of the body. 'I'd give myself black eyes' It wasn't just her life that was changed though. Daughter Lizzie, who was traumatised by her mum's brush with death, was also deeply affected. Lizzie says: 'I'd seen my mum so ill in the hotel, and then we'd seen her in hospital looking grey and almost dead. 'The second I got home, the first thing that I got in my head was, 'OK, so I'm not going to eat.' In my head, it was a case of, 'If you eat, you could die'.' From a healthy 11-year-old, Lizzie grew anxious and gaunt, surviving only on bread sticks, cereal and packaged snacks. In 2017, five years after the holiday, 16-year-old Lizzie suffered a full-blown panic attack on a train after seeing someone being sick. She says: 'I'd never had one properly like that so when I got home I Googled my symptoms and that's the first time I read about emetophobia – a fear of vomiting. That was me.' It spiralled into constant anxiety and self-harm, as Lizzie tried to focus on anything but the fear. 17 17 17 17 'There were days when I had seven or eight panic attacks and wherever I was – on a plane or on a train – I'd start screaming,' she says. 'Looking back, the panic attacks were just this need to create another feeling other than sickness, so I'd create pain. 'I'd even give myself black eyes from hitting myself.' Though talented Lizzie had won a place at drama school in Manchester, she lived alone and didn't socialise. She says: 'I didn't do anything for 12 years. I went to drama school in Manchester but lived on my own because I didn't want to be around others. 'I didn't go to parties. I didn't drink.' In 2023, Lizzie took a dream job as a Christmas elf in Lapland - but was sent home months later after her weight plummeted from nine stone to just five stone two pounds. She says: 'Being abroad, I was just unable to eat anything cooked by others, so I'd be eating breakfast bars from the local shop and not a lot else. 'It got even worse when my flatmate out there got sick. 'I didn't tell anyone about my worries with food but I was sent home from the job. 'Not long after that I lost my acting agent because I just wasn't well enough to get parts. 'It's really sad because I wanted to live, but I'd completely lost all joy in life. 'I was sick of looking at myself in the mirror covered in bruises.' Michelle, who works as a college lecturer with inclusion students, was desperate to help her daughter. They saw private and NHS specialists, as well as multiple therapists. What is emetophobia and how can you overcome it? By Nik and Eva Speakman Emetophobia is an intense fear of vomiting. It is a debilitating and often misunderstood phobia. It can manifest in a range of obsessive-compulsive behaviours, such as excessive sanitisation, extreme food restrictions, eating disorders, health anxiety, and avoidance of travel, medical environments, and even children. Social withdrawal is common, with many sufferers limiting contact with others for fear of illness, vomit and vomit-causing bugs. While it is especially prevalent among women, emetophobia remains under-recognised within the medical community, despite being the most common phobia seen in our clinic. It's estimated that up to 5.5million people in the UK may be affected, yet provision of effective treatment is still limited. Emetophobia is not innate. It typically stems from a distressing childhood experience, such as a traumatic incident at school or mirroring an anxious parent's behaviour. The key to recovery lies in positively reframing these formative experiences with an experienced therapist. Using a simple self-help exercise can really help. Create two columns - Fears vs Facts - to challenge distorted beliefs with logic and evidence. She says: 'We were in despair because my husband and I felt like we had exhausted every option. 'Then I saw there was an emetophobia class with The Speakmans in February 2025 in Manchester and I just booked it instantly. 'I held out no hope but I was just happy Lizzie was willing to go.' Life change experts Nik and Eva Speakman are known for helping thousands overcome phobias. Lizzie says: 'I went into their workshop and by the time I left they'd literally changed my life. 'I shared my story, very nervously on stage. They completely changed the way I had thought about things. 'They told me: 'Being sick didn't nearly kill your mum, it was the egg. Being sick had actually helped save her.' 'Twenty-five minutes into speaking to them, I felt completely different. 'Two weeks later, I couldn't believe it. I got norovirus. 'I'd spent 12 years trying to avoid being sick and now I had it, full on. 'But I was absolutely fine. I was sick all night, non-stop, no issue, no panic attacks.' Today, Lizzie is thriving - eating normally, running a performing arts school and planning a holiday to Greece. She says: 'I still have some of the thoughts but they don't stop me from eating three meals a day, piling the food on. I just don't worry about being sick anymore. 'I used to think I wouldn't be here for much longer. Now, it's like I am living properly because I haven't for so long'.' Michelle remains full of gratitude having nearly lost her life and watching her daughter turn her life around. 'I cherish every day,' she says. 'I've gone from seeing my daughter's life slipping away to seeing her embracing it. I will forever be grateful to The Speakmans.' 17 17 17 For more real-life examples, practical tips, and expert support, tune in to The Speakmans' Hope Clinic podcast, where emetophobia - and other common issues - are treated live. To learn more about The Speakmans' Emetophobia Masterclasses, email: Events@
Daily Mirror
29-07-2025
- Daily Mirror
Advertising feature from Pride of Britain winner sets sail for ‘magical' reward After years as an NHS campaigner, Michelle Tolley couldn't believe she had been gifted a P&O Cruises holiday NHS campaigner Michelle Tolley fought for answers for the more than 30,000 people affected as part of the Infected Blood Scandal (Image: P&O Cruises)
When Michelle Tolley won an award at the Daily Mirror's Pride of Britain Awards for her campaign work, she was on top of the world. But there was another surprise in store for her. The 60-year-old (or as she likes to say, '59 plus one') has been a tireless campaigner, fighting for answers for the more than 30,000 people infected with HIV and Hepatitis C as part of the Infected Blood Scandal. Last year, she won a Pride of Britain Special Recognition Award alongside fellow campaigners Andrew Evans and Jason Evans, and was surprised with a P&O Cruises holiday from awards sponsor P&O Cruises. 'We were backstage and at first I thought they were telling us that fellow winner, midwife Agnes Nisbett, who was on stage, had been given a cruise,' says Michelle. 'And I was so happy for her. Then they said, 'No, all of you have won a cruise!'' It was the culmination of decades of ill health and hard work supporting fellow victims and holding the government to account. Michelle was infected with Hepatitis C when she received a blood transfusion following the birth of her first child in 1987. She endured 28 years of fatigue and illness, her symptoms dismissed by a doctor, before she was eventually diagnosed. And it was another year until she began treatment. 'I was so angry. I said to my husband Dean, I have to channel this into something good, or I don't know what I will do.' Michelle went on to manage a support group for fellow sufferers, worked alongside the fantastic Hepatitis C Trust, and presented at the official government enquiry. Michelle and Dean hadn't been abroad since they were married in 1984. 'I said to Dean, either I'm going on my own or you'll have to come with me,' laughs Michelle. 'We booked a Canary Islands cruise for May. It was the week before our 40th wedding anniversary, and I told P&O Cruises that if I had realised, we could have renewed our wedding vows. 'They called me back and said, 'you mentioned renewing your vows, we've organised that for you'. 'They did everything. They gave me the most beautiful bouquet of flowers, did our photographs, gave us a beautiful framed photo, and even treated us to two lovely meals.' The couple travelled aboard Ventura. Michelle's only cruise reference was a journey she took when she was nine years old in 1976, and she couldn't believe the difference. 'The enormity of seeing the ship was just mind-blowing,' she says. 'It felt like Christmas day and seeing all your presents. I had a childish urge to squeal. 'I just couldn't believe it; it was just amazing. I felt like welling up with emotion.' As well as their special vow renewal, Michelle and Dean made the most of all the facilities on board, enjoying the incredible food, the cinema and theatre, and exploring Madeira and the Canary Islands. 'At our first port of call in Madeira, I've never seen so many banana trees in all my life. I thought we'd just have a wander, but then I saw a taxi and asked him, 'how much for an hour?'. His name was Manuel, and he gave us a great price and took us on a tour of the island.' By the end of the cruise, Michelle and Dean were such converts that they booked another one right away. Now, they're getting ready for a Mediterranean cruise, escaping to the Caribbean in winter, and in 2027, they have a true adventure planned - a 108-day round-the-world cruise with P&O Cruises. After years of campaigning, Michelle is enjoying a new chapter of life. 'If you've never been on a cruise, I'd say do it,' she says. 'The facilities are fantastic, everyone is so nice, and it is great value for everything you get.'
