A FAMILY who claim they contracted parasitic worms during a five-star Caribbean holiday have said their £3,700 trip was ruined by undercooked meat, insects in their salad and “deafening” drum and bass music by the pool.

Sarah Sigston, 57, her husband Jeremy, 53, and their 25-year-old daughter Isabelle, from Rayleigh, jetted off in May for a two-week stay at an all-inclusive resort, the Viva Dominicus Palace by Wyndham, which they booked as a package through TUI.

On arrival, the family said they found the hotel to be “very, very tired” with their room “looking nothing like the pictures online” and they soon found issues with “undercooked meat”, “insects in the salads” and “birds on the buffet trays”.

The family said 'deafening' drum and bass music would play 'constantly' by the pool The family said 'deafening' drum and bass music would play 'constantly' by the pool (Image: Collect/PA Real Life)

They selected this resort in particular as it claimed online that those with coeliac disease, which Isabelle has, would be “safe” at their site – but she then became unwell after being served a burger which contained gluten despite being assured by three different staff members it did not.

By the eighth day on their trip, the family started to notice “worms” in their stools – which later required a three-day course of medication once they returned home to the UK.

Despite their tribulations, the family stayed until the end of their trip and tried to seek compensation through TUI, but they said their claim has been refused by the travel company due to a lack of evidence linking their illnesses to the hotel.

“We’ve eaten some pretty questionable food but never have we come back with any lodgers inside us,” said Jeremy, a double-glazing installer.

Artist Sarah said around the third day of their trip, she and her family started to feel unwell with diarrhoea, nausea and stomach cramps.

Isabelle ate her own gluten-free Itsu rice noodle potsIsabelle ate her own gluten-free Itsu rice noodle pots (Image: Collect/PA Real Life)

By the eighth day, Sarah said they started to notice long white worms in their stool.

“I think it was (Jeremy) who had the first worm and I remembered saying, ‘there’s a long white thing, you’ve got a parasitic worm’,” Sarah said.

“We were sort of joking at first but then we all started getting them. For a couple of days, I had to stay in the room for the day because I couldn’t go out as I kept having to go to the toilet.”

The family returned home to the UK and went to a doctor, where they showed images of their stool, with Sarah saying the doctor “immediately” told them “they are definitely worms”. They were all prescribed a three-day course of medication.

TUI has declined to comment and the Press Association has contacted the Viva Dominicus Palace by Wyndham hotel for comment, but it had not responded at the time of publication.