by Jamie Bullen

jbullen@thekmgroup.co.uk

A man is suing a holiday company after claiming food poisoning suffered while on a luxury holiday has left him with long-term health problems.

Stewart Green, 51, of Main Road, Sutton-at-Hone, claims he contracted salmonella poisoning while on holiday in the Dominician Republic in August 2009.

Mr Green, who works as a deputy shift manager for a food packaging company, visited the five star Bahia Principe Cayo Levantado resort in Samana for two weeks with his wife Julie and two children.

While he was there, he said he saw poor hygiene standards at the resort including under cooked food, food left uncovered and unclean kitchen utensils.

In the last few days of his holiday, he says he suffered severe bouts of diarrhoea, vomiting and abdominal pain and missed a month off work when he returned home.

He says he is still unable to eat some foods and on some occasions cannot eat at all.

He said: "I didn’t realise it would be going on for this long because it’s been two years now.

"I have had to make adjustments since suffering this. Some days I won’t eat at all and I have concerns of certain foods."

He is being represented by legal experts at Irwin Mitchell who have now filed a lawsuit against First Choice,claiming customers are not given enough protection.

Amandeep Dhillon, a travel law specialist at the firm, said: "Mr Green’s illness has had a major impact on his life and will continue to do so for years to come, so we are determined to help him achieve justice.

"We believe tour operators and staff at the Bahia Principe have not done enough to protect customers. We have helped a huge number of people in battles for justice against this chain of resorts.

"First Choice has a duty to look after its customers and we want to know that the operator has carefully examined standards at the Cayo Levantado site."

The holiday firm was asked to comment, but has so far declined to reply.