An Essex family have won compensation after receiving chemical burns from the swimming pool of the 5 star hotel they stayed in during a holiday to Corfu in July 2007.

Susan Austin and her family are amongst over 40 British tourists who took legal action against their tour operators after they stayed at the Mitis Roda Beach Hotel in Corfu.

After using the pool at the hotel, Ms Austen’s two sons were left too sore to be able to put their clothes on and developed chemical burns across their bodies. Despite the family being only one of several affected by the levels of chemicals in the pool, it continued to remain open for use.

“For two nights my children were crying in agony and could barely walk, they were so badly burnt,” Ms Austin told the Essex Echo.

“When I realised we were not the only family to be affected I approached the hotel Manager. He told me that, despite 100 children having been affected, the pool was safe to use as long as you showered before and after bathing.”

The hotel doctor eventually admitted to the family the burns had been caused by the high levels of chemicals in the water.

The family won an undisclosed sum from the tour operator of their particular holiday, Thomas Cook.