Latest news with #MartinBullen
Daily Mirror
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Benidorm hotel pool fight sees brawlers thrown in water and sunbathers punched
A TikTok clip has gone viral of mayhem by the side of a swimming pool at a Benidorm hotel where at least 10 men were involved in a fight with kicking and punching A massive brawl broke out by the swimming pool at a hotel in a popular Spanish resort with people chucked into the water. Punches were thrown in the ugly scenes at the Benidorm hotel as other tourists watched on in horror at the chaos as more people got involved. The situation quickly escalated with brawlers pushing and shoving, before footage shows a man being launched into the pool. A man dressed in black was shoved while another person in a T-shirt targets a sunbather before he himself ends up in the pool. But he then quickly jumps out and in retaliation shoves another into the water. The clip has gone viral on social media, and has racked up nearly 300,000 views on TikTok. In the melee involving at least 10 men, there were kicks as well as punches while other bathers watched on. An England flag was clearly seen hanging in the background with the words "Ash's Stag 2025", but it is unclear whether the men involved are British, or why the fight broke out in the first place. There has been a mixed response online to the brawl with some joking and others blasting the behaviour as 'embarrassing'. 'How no more, it's Benidorm," one social media user wrote. Another commented: 'These lot are an absolute embarrassment.' Another said: 'Quite possibly the worst (but best) scrap ever.' It comes a month after a 'joke' on a lad's holiday in Benidorm ended up with a dad breaking his neck when he was shoved into a pool. Martin Bullen, 31, described how someone who he didn't know playfully pushed him into the water at a Benidorm pool party on June 10. The single dad-of-two said he tried to turn his fall into a dive but he didn't realise how shallow the water was and he split his head open on the bottom of the pool. Luckily one of the revellers at the party was an army medic who helped get Martin out of the pool and kept him still until an ambulance arrived. Paramedics took Martin, who works as a sales advisor, to a nearby hospital where doctors gave him 16 stitches in his head and found that he had fractured his neck in three places and broken his back. He said that the trip to Benidorm had been intended as a relaxing getaway with his cousins to give Martin a break from being a busy single dad. He said he had gone to book travel insurance before the holiday but he had gotten distracted before paying and forgot to purchase it - a mistake he dubbed 'stupid'. Martin ended up forking out £1,500 for the hospital stay and extra flights - he is urging holidaymakers travelling this summer not to make the same "daft mistake" as him.
Daily Mirror
21-06-2025
- Daily Mirror
Brits' holidays from hell from 'wild animals' at breakfast to horror pool injury
Many Brits seek summer sun abroad from Turkey to Cape Verde, but holidays often turn into costly disasters with delays, illness, and nightmare accidents Every summer, millions of Brits jet off in search of sunshine and relaxation - but for some, dream holidays can quickly spiral into disaster. From flight delays and lost luggage to heatstroke, food poisoning, and unexpected injuries, the holiday season often brings more chaos than calm. Travel insurance providers report spikes in claims during July and August, with accidents abroad, hospital visits, and missed connections among the top complaints. Horrific joke gone wrong A "joke" on a lad's holiday in Benidorm ended up with a dad breaking his neck after he was shoved into a pool. Martin Bullen, 31, described how someone who he didn't know playfully pushed him into the water at a Benidorm pool party on June 10. The single dad-of-two said he tried to turn his fall into a dive but he didn't realise how shallow the water was and he split his head open on the bottom of the pool. Luckily one of the revellers at the party was an army medic who helped get Martin out of the pool and kept him still until an ambulance arrived. Paramedics took Martin, who works as a sales advisor, to a nearby hospital where doctors gave him 16 stitches in his head and found that he had fractured his neck in three places and broken his back. READ MORE: 'Cause of death' of Beth Martin, 28, whose heart was removed after dying on holiday He said that the trip to Benidorm had been intended as a relaxing getaway with his cousins to give Martin a break from being a busy single dad. Martin explained that he had gone to book travel insurance before the holiday, but he had gotten distracted before paying and forgot to purchase it - a mistake he dubbed 'stupid'. The tourist ended up forking out £1,500 for the hospital stay and extra flights. He urged holidaymakers travelling this summer not to make the same "daft mistake" as him. Martin, from Wigan, Greater Manchester, said: "I was having a drink but I had my wits about me and stuff. Somebody pushed me into the pool and I didn't know it was a shallow pool. "I'm thinking I'll just dive in and dive back up and my head hit the floor straight away and it split open my head. "It was quite scary. I'll be honest, there was at one point I thought I was going to die on my own [in hospital] because I didn't know what was going on or who to talk to. "It was a moment of madness [not to take out insurance]. I was looking at getting it, I put it in the WhatsApp group for my cousins to get it and as I went to do mine something came up with the kids. "Then it just slipped my mind and then I forgot all about it and didn't get it done. It was a daft mistake. I knew I needed to get it. Failure to prepare is preparing to fail, that's the best thing I could say." Raw buffet food hell What was supposed to be a dream getaway quickly spiralled into a holiday from hell for 25 Brits after they allegedly suffered gastric illnesses while staying at the Riu Karamboa, in Boa Vista in Cape Verde. The group claim there were disturbing scenes around the hotel's buffet - birds, flies, and even cats wandering freely. The food, they allege, was often "raw and undercooked," served alongside "dirty crockery and cutlery." One NHS worker who splurged £3,000 to celebrate early retirement said she ended up hospitalised with a severe infection during her holiday. Sharon Burrow, 56, of Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, recalled how the luxury break became 'one of the worst experiences of her life,' and eight months on, she still battles ongoing complications. Another guest, Penny Robson, a 55-year-old paramedic from London, was forced to take antibiotics after battling a brutal bout of gastric symptoms - bloating, diarrhoea, nausea, and stomach cramps. Penny, who paid £2,000 for a weeklong stay with a friend in September 2023, had to cancel two prepaid excursions, including a stargazing trip and a private island tour, after falling ill five days in. The Riu Karamboa resort told the Mirror: "For RIU Hotels & Resorts, the health and safety of our guests is our highest priority. That is why we adhere to strict Health & Safety protocols and comply with all applicable regulations. "Additionally, we work closely with local health authorities to ensure a safe environment for both our guests and employees. As part of our proactive approach to preventing health issues, we conduct thorough internal and external audits on a regular basis. "Our hotels in Cape Verde, which consist of six properties with a total of 4,650 rooms, maintain an average occupancy rate of over 80%. Given this high level of activity, we continuously monitor our operations to uphold the highest health and safety standards." 'Never leaving UK again' It was a luxury holiday of celebration that turned into a nightmare. Alison Shah had celebrated her big birthday in style with a month-long trip to countries including Bangkok and Thailand when she tried to get home with her partner Richard Kay, 52, and chaos ensued. The couple finally made it home after a three-day trek but their ordeal has made them vow 'never again'. "I have never experienced anything like this," said Alison. "We paid a lot of money for the holiday and it has ended in a nightmare." The couple had flown from Thailand to Dubai last April to find the airport in turmoil due to severe storms, with their plane circling above the airport for an hour and a half before it was able to land. They had a few hours to wait until flying to Manchester. "Finally at 8am, we started to board the plane, the plane was there," said Alison. "We then sat there for two and a half hours in the holding area waiting to get on the plane. Nobody was answering any questions and people were getting frantic." The couple's frustration peaked when they were informed of their flight had been cancelled. "We were then told our flight was cancelled and we had to leave the airport," added the emergency control operator. "We went back the following day and joined another queue for seven and a half hours. "We were waiting to board the plane and it kept saying delayed, delayed, delayed. The screen changed from Manchester to Sydney and they sent us away again." After spending money on a hotel stay, the couple faced further uncertainty at the airport the next day when they were offered a flight to Manchester on April 28 - 12 days after they were meant to head back home. "We couldn't do that. We had to go to work and we had already been out of the country for a month," Alison said. "I asked if they could get us to another airport, if I could get near the UK I could work it out. They got us a flight to Istanbul." But their ordeal wasn't over - landing in Istanbul on April 19, Alison and Richard were greeted with the news that their luggage had gone missing, meaning they had to buy clothes there. The couple then made their way from Istanbul to Dalaman, Turkey, on Saturday in hopes of catching a flight to Manchester. "We're pleased to be home, but really really upset not to be able to give the grandchildren the gifts and open the cases and do what you normally do when you get home," Alison said. Sir Tim Clark, President of Emirates Airline, penned an open letter at the time of the disruption, which said: "The UAE experienced its highest rainfall in 75 years. Storm winds and torrential rain disrupted activities across the cities. "While our hub in Dubai continued to operate, albeit with reduced flight movements for safety reasons, the flooded roads hampered our customers, pilots, cabin crew, and airport employees from getting to the airport, and also affected the delivery of essential supplies like meals and other flight amenities.. "We know our response has been far from perfect. We acknowledge and understand the frustration of our customers due to the congestion, lack of information, and confusion in terminals. We acknowledge that the long queues and waiting times have been unacceptable." Terrifying break-in Becca Farley, 27, from Eastleigh, Hampshire, was enjoying a getaway in Benidorm with her family when she encountered intruders in their accommodation. The family had shelled out £2,500 for their week-long retreat. On their final evening, amidst hotel notices about an impending power outage, Becca headed to their room to charge mobile phones ahead of their journey back. She recounted the unsettling moment: "As I got in the lift these two teenagers got in the lift with me and just pressed my floor level. I honestly didn't think anything of it because there's five rooms per floor, so I just assumed they were going to one of them." However, the situation took a turn when the youths exited the lift before her and made a beeline for her room, which was propped open with a shoe. Initially confused, Becca thought she had got off on the wrong floor, but she quickly realised that wasn't the case. "It happened all quite quickly and they just strolled straight into my room," she said. Becca decided to follow them inside and confront them. "But I just didn't really think and went straight into the room and shouted 'What are you doing in my room? Get the f*ck out, get the f*ck out, get the f*ck out'." Thankfully, the teenagers did. Yet, the ordeal hadn't ended—the youth hammered on the door shortly after while Becca remained barricaded inside. "I was absolutely petrified," she confessed. "I know it sounds silly and people have said you should have done this, you should have locked them in the room, you should have decked them but at that moment I think it was just that invasion of privacy. This is supposed to be your safe place when you are away, you're away from home, we don't travel all that often so we were really shaken."
Scottish Sun
19-06-2025
- Scottish Sun
Shock moment Brit is knocked out cold by sucker-punch in Benidorm after getting into argument with bouncers
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THIS is the terrifying moment a Brit is sucker-punched after getting into a row with Benidorm bouncers. Footage from Sunday night shows the lad being knocked to the ground as fellow holidaymakers rush to his aid. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 6 The Brit was left lying on the ground unconscious Credit: SWNS 6 The puncher's fist can be seen flying through the air 6 The short man in the black shirt could be seen moments before the punch was thrown Credit: SWNS The Brit, dressed in a white t-shirt and trousers, appears caught up in a heated exchange as a friend steps in to try and quell the argument. As tensions escalate, the man is seen being brutally punched in the face and falling to the ground, contorting one of his legs. The shocking clip then shows a woman in a pink cowboy hat rushing to the man's aid as a group of lads row with the security guards. According to one onlooker, the scuffle escalated when one man - who appeared to be a local - asked the other to leave the bar. They told the Mail Online: "It's always the d***head Brits - it makes you ashamed to be a Brit sometimes. "We'd been in there for two hours or so - it seemed a nice bar and all of a sudden we heard a bit of a commotion. "He was out cold, and his leg looked dislocated." The Brit's current condition remains unclear. This isn't the first time Spain has seen a bust up between revellers. Earlier this month, footage was released of two unruly Brits who started fighting each other in Tenerife while getting cheered on by immature yobs. Shock moment cheering Brits watch vicious street brawl in hols hotspot Tenerife One of the women is seen lunging at another tourist before brazenly tackling her face-first onto the ground. The violent footage filmed in Playa de Las Américas sparked fury among locals on the popular holiday island. Elsewhere, a lad's holiday to Benidorm ended in horror when a dad broke his neck after being shoved into a swimming pool "as a joke". Martin Bullen, 31, was at a Benidorm pool party on June 10 when he claims somebody who he "didn't know" playfully pushed him into the water. 6 The pub goers grapple as the tension rises Credit: SWNS 6 The brawlers stand over the unconscious man as they continue to push each other Credit: SWNS The single dad-of-two said he had no idea how shallow the water was so when he was pushed, he tried to dive in but split his head open on the bottom of the pool. Luckily one of the worried partygoers that stepped in to get Martin out of the pool was an army medic so knew to keep him still until an ambulance arrived. Martin, who works as a sales advisor, was then taken to a nearby hospital where docs gave him 16 stitches in his head and found that he had fractured his neck in three places and broken his back. He explained that the trip to Benidorm with his cousins was intended to have a break from being a busy single dad. The fight also comes just a month after two Brits were caught brawling in Tenerife. The violent footage filmed in Playa de Las Américas sparked fury among locals on the popular holiday island. The footage has highlighted growing concerns over tourist behaviour in Spain. At the start of the astonishing footage, one of the women dressed in white is seen lunging at another tourist. She brazenly tackles her face-first onto the ground.
The Irish Sun
19-06-2025
- The Irish Sun
Shock moment Brit is knocked out cold by sucker-punch in Benidorm after getting into argument with bouncers
THIS is the terrifying moment a Brit is sucker-punched after getting into a row with Benidorm bouncers. Footage from Sunday night shows the lad being knocked to the ground as fellow 6 The Brit was left lying on the ground unconscious Credit: SWNS 6 The puncher's fist can be seen flying through the air 6 The short man in the black shirt could be seen moments before the punch was thrown Credit: SWNS The Brit, dressed in a white t-shirt and trousers, appears caught up in a heated exchange as a friend steps in to try and As tensions escalate, the man is seen being brutally punched in the face and falling to the ground, contorting one of his legs. The According to one onlooker, the Read more on World They told the "We'd been in there for two hours or so - it seemed a nice bar and all of a sudden we heard a bit of a commotion. "He was out cold, and his leg looked dislocated." The Brit's current condition remains unclear. Most read in The Sun This isn't the first time Spain has seen a Earlier this month, footage was released of two unruly Brits who started fighting each other in Tenerife while getting cheered on by immature yobs. Shock moment cheering Brits watch vicious street brawl in hols hotspot Tenerife One of the women is seen lunging at another The violent footage filmed in Playa de Las Américas sparked fury among locals on the popular Elsewhere, a lad's holiday to Benidorm ended in horror when a dad broke his neck after being shoved into a swimming pool "as a joke". Martin Bullen, 31, was at a Benidorm pool party on June 10 when he claims somebody who he "didn't know" playfully pushed him into the water. 6 The pub goers grapple as the tension rises Credit: SWNS 6 The brawlers stand over the unconscious man as they continue to push each other Credit: SWNS The single dad-of-two said he had no idea how shallow the water was so when he was pushed, he tried to dive in but split his head open on the bottom of the pool. Luckily one of the worried partygoers that stepped in to get Martin out of the pool was an army medic so knew to keep him still until an ambulance arrived. Martin, who works as a sales advisor, was then taken to a nearby hospital where docs gave him 16 stitches in his head and found that he had fractured his neck in three places and broken his back. He explained that the trip to Benidorm with his cousins was intended to have a break from being a busy single dad. The fight also comes just a month after The violent footage filmed in Playa de Las Américas sparked fury among locals on the popular . The footage has highlighted growing concerns over tourist behaviour in Spain. At the start of the astonishing footage, one of the women dressed in white is seen lunging at another She brazenly tackles her face-first onto the ground. 6 Benidorm city from La Cruz viewpoint in Alicante, Spain Credit: Getty
Metro
18-06-2025
- Metro
British dad breaks neck after being pushed into shallow pool at Benidorm party
A lad's holiday to Benidorm ended in horror when a dad broke his neck and back after being shoved into a shallow pool 'as a joke'. Martin Bullen, 31, was at a pool party on June 10 when he claims a stranger came up and playfully pushed him into the water. But he had no idea how shallow the water was, so when he tried to dive in, he ended up splitting his head open on the bottom. Luckily, one of the worried partygoers who helped get him out happened to be an army medic and knew to keep him still until an ambulance arrived. Martin, who works as a sales advisor, was then taken to a nearby hospital where he got 16 stitches for his head wound and was told he had fractured his neck in three places and broken his back. He said: 'I was having a drink, but I had my wits about me and stuff. Somebody pushed me into the pool, and I didn't know it was a shallow pool. 'I'm thinking I'll just dive in and dive back up and my head hit the floor straight away and it split open my head. 'It was quite scary. I'll be honest, there was at one point I thought I was going to die on my own [in hospital] because I didn't know what was going on or who to talk to.' Martin, from Wigan, Greater Manchester, added: 'I can see how it could be portrayed dead easily as a boozy Brit in Benidorm who has done this but to be honest with you, I wasn't drunk. 'It was a freak accident because I didn't know the pool was shallow. 'I'm a full-time dad and I try and work my hardest and try and bring them up the best I can do. I'm not one of those idiots – I have a lot of responsibilities, and I take pride in them.' He explained that the trip to Benidorm with his cousins was meant to be a break from being a busy single dad. The blow which perhaps hurt the most though, was a 'stupid' mistake he made when finalising the trip – he forgot to book travel insurance. 'It was a moment of madness [not to take out insurance],' Martin said. 'I was looking at getting it, I put it in the WhatsApp group for my cousins to get it and as I went to do mine something came up with the kids. 'Then it just slipped my mind and then I forgot all about it and didn't get it done. It was a daft mistake. I knew I needed to get it. 'I think one of the kids hurt themself outside or something and I rushed out to sort it and then I got back and got distracted. 'Failure to prepare is preparing to fail, that's the best thing I could say.' Thankfully Martin was able to fly home on June 16 and said doctors at the Royal Albert Edward Infirmary in Wigan have found five fractures in his neck and back. He said he still needs to wear a neck brace and can only walk or stand for about five minutes before he needs to sit down. More Trending He is awaiting further scans to find out the extent of the damage and what his recovery will be like. His dad, Scott Bullen, 63, flew out to be with him in hospital and was luckily able to help him with hospital costs but now Martin is raising money to be able to pay his dad back. Martin said: 'I've got two boys full time on my own, luckily my dad helped me with upfront costs, which I've got to pay back because he's retired. 'I know it's going to be a long road to recovery, but I've got through the hard part, which was getting home and being around people who can support me.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Major UK airline launches sale with £29 flights to 475 destinations — but it ends in two days MORE: Cause of Spain and Portugal blackouts which left millions in the dark revealed MORE: More than 600 EasyJet cabin crew to walk out causing chaos for thousands of holidaymakers
