A MOTHER and her teenage daughter from Glasgow who were struck down with a mystery stomach bug while staying at a luxury five-star resort in Turkey have launched legal action.

Amber Cully and her 15-year-old daughter, Amelia, were hospitalised for two days after falling ill with severe stomach cramps, vomiting and diarrhoea during the two-week family trip to the Paloma Grida Resort and Spa, in Antalya, in April.

Mrs Cully’s father and her five-year-old son James also fell ill, but did not require hospital treatment.

Mrs Cully, 35, from Drumchapel, said: “The holiday was booked to spend some quality family time together but the memory of the holiday is tainted by the majority of us falling ill and Amelia and I having to go to hospital which was a horrible experience.”

They are among a number of holidaymakers seeking compensation after spate of illnesses linked to the all-inclusive beach resort, which boasts seven restaurants, six bars, a disco, spa and six outdoor pools.

Personal injury lawyers Irwin Mitchell, who are acting on behalf of the Cullys, are also investigating the case of a 24-year-old guest from Sheffield, Ian McGovern, who suffered similar symptoms to the Cullys during his stay in May.

The Cullys had booked the break through Thomas Cook and stayed at the hotel between April 7 and 22. The family group included Mrs Cully and her husband James, 45, daughter Amber and son James, and Mrs Cully’s parents.

The hotel has previously scooped a awards and attracted high praise on TripAdvisor, scoring an average of 4.5/5 from 2644 reviews, but Mrs Cully said it was a let-down.

She said: “The resort did not live up to its star rating. There was an obvious shortage of staff.

“Some of the food was on occasions undercooked which I did report to the staff. If there was an illness or problems at the hotel before me and my family arrived we should have been notified and moved to another hotel.”

Mr McGovern, who visited the hotel with his 23-year-old partner Sharni Bishop and their daughters, aged four and five, said: “This was our first family holiday all together, so we had been looking forward to it for a long time. While we had seen some issues which concerned us like some of the food sometimes seemingly being reheated and cats on occasions lurking around the restaurant, we never thought for one second we were at risk of illness.

“The sickness hit Sharni and I really hard and it was really tough to get any enjoyment out of the last few days.”

Mr McGovern, a part-time carer, continued to suffer symptoms of stomach cramps, sickness and diarrhoea for around two weeks after the holiday ended, forcing him to take time off work.

He added: “This was supposed to be a memorable break and we want answers regarding why we will now only remember it for the wrong reasons.”

Jayne Murphy, the legal expert at Irwin Mitchell who is representing the families, said: We are hugely concerned by the reports provided to us by our clients and have already commenced investigations into what they have been through.

“A case of this kind highlights the significant impact that gastric illness can have on those affected, not only spoiling precious family time abroad but also then affecting their lives back in the UK too. “Tour operators and resorts have key responsibilities when it comes to hygiene and health and safety, so we will be examining whether lessons can be learned from this case which will ultimately improve standards.”

A spokeswoman for Thomas Cook said: “We want our customers to have the best possible time on holiday, so we are sorry to hear that some of the Cully family became ill. We did all we could to assist the family in resort. We take all reports of illness seriously and are investigating this case thoroughly with the hotel.”