A RISCA widow whose late husband died after contracting gastroenteritis while on holiday in Cuba is demanding answers from Thomas Cook about the manner of his death.

Edward Jackson died in hospital at the age of 63 on February 2 – just days after checking in at the Playa Pesquero resort in Cuba on an all-inclusive holiday with the travel agent. 

Mr Jackson’s widow, Susan, 61, who is registered blind, relied on her husband of 41 years to care for her and the Jacksons made the trip of a lifetime to the Caribbean in January.

The couple, who first met at the age of 17, chose the Playa Pesquero resort after it was personally recommended by staff at the Bridge Street travel agent in Newport - which they had used for 20 years.

However, she said she knew “there was a problem when we got there” with food allegedly being served lukewarm; staff handling cold meats without gloves; birds being in the bar; and the buffet being left uncovered.

South Wales Argus:

Susan Jackson

“We’ve travelled with Thomas Cook about three times a year and never had any problems. But, this one, it was just disgusting,” she told the Argus.

“Ted was taking me out and showing me what was there but it was the smell that was putting me off as well.

“When the trays were nearly empty, instead of taking them away, they were just putting stuff [food] on top.

“In the lobby bar there was rafters and at 5pm all these birds would come in and sleep in the rafters and they would be there until the next morning.”

It was actually Mrs Jackson who initially fell ill with symptoms of diarrhoea and stomach cramps during the first week of the two-week break, but it passed after four days.

Shortly after, her late husband, a retired steelworker at Llanwern, began to suffer the same symptoms “when it came back with a vengeance” and was treated by the doctor at the hotel.

The father-of-one’s symptoms worsened and he visited the resort doctor again, where he was placed on a drip and was given medication to reduce the pain he was suffering.

The couple were transferred by ambulance to a local clinic, which Mrs Jackson said was dilapidated and did not have the equipment needed to treat her husband properly.

Later that afternoon, the grandfather-of-two was rushed to hospital in a second ambulance and he was given oxygen and placed on a drip.

His symptoms continued to worsen and he was transferred to intensive care after suffering a heart attack.

In the early hours of the following morning, on February 2, Mrs Jackson was told he had suffered two further heart attacks and had passed away.

Mr Jackson's cause of death was later recorded as hypovolemic shock, diarrhoea and acute infective gastroenteritis. 

Having long returned home, Mrs Jackson said she had to take legal action to get the answers and closure she needed.

“When we phoned them, they said they were going to do an independent report on the hotel but when they did it, they told me they couldn’t give me any information because it was data protected,” she said.

“We want this out there to see if anyone else was ill at the same time we were there. We need answers.

“Nothing is ever the same now because he did everything. Until somebody goes, you don’t realise how much they did. We’ve lost so much because he was such a good man.”

A Thomas Cook spokeswoman said: “We would like to express our sincere condolences to Mrs Jackson and her family for their sad loss.

“Nothing is more important to us than the safety and wellbeing of our customers and we are deeply saddened by Mr Jackson’s death.

“We routinely audit properties to ensure standards are met.”