A COUPLE'S wedding anniversary was ruined when a woman caught a potentially deadly bug on holiday in Turkey.

Anita Bennett blames uncovered and undercooked food, cats roaming the dining area and a general lack of hygiene for being struck down on an all-inclusive break in Bodrum in August.

The 51-year-old, of Baddeley Green, spent almost three days in hospital with severe gastric illness during a week-long holiday at the four-star Club Belizia Hotel.

The break, which cost the couple £1,800, was supposed to be a celebration of their third wedding anniversary.

But instead, Mrs Bennett was hooked up to drips after learning she had contracted a parasite called Giardia, which causes diarrhoea, stomach cramps and vomiting.

The couple are now taking legal action against travel agents Thomas Cook.

Mrs Bennett said: "We booked the trip six months in advance and were really looking forward to it as a special celebration of our anniversary.

"At breakfast we found things uncovered, flies on food and lots of people handling things – I even saw a child drink some fruit punch then spit it out back into the bowl."

Two days later, Mrs Bennett started to feel unwell.

She said: "I had the most terrible diarrhoea I have ever had in my life. After two days, my husband, Paul, was really worried and called the hotel medic, who sent me to hospital. I felt awful – I was dehydrated and weak and my blood pressure was low."

After being discharged from hospital after half a day, Mrs Bennett's condition worsened and she was taken to nearby Gumbet hospital on Sunday, where the parasite was diagnosed.

Mrs Bennett was confined to her room for the rest of the holiday and claims her pottery business in Fenton lost money as a result of her ongoing illness once home. Husband Paul, aged 45, said: "We wrote to complain to Thomas Cook that this hotel needs investigating but don't feel our concerns were taken seriously.

"They implied it was a normal case of traveller's sickness, which it was not."

The couple are among seven British holidaymakers taking legal action against the travel company.

Amandeep Dhillon, of Irwin Mitchell Solicitors, representing them, said: "We are aware many others were also ill at the hotel."

A Thomas Cook spokesman said: "We are currently undertaking a full investigation and are liaising with the couple's solicitors."