A young couple from Watford have won thousands of pounds in compensation after their holiday in Egypt turned into a nightmare.

Gemma Saunders and Joe Pates, from Garston, fell ill and had to be placed on drips four days into their break in the Hilton Sharks Bay hotel.

Joe said the "horrible experience" was a result of poor food hygiene at the resort.

The couple, both 22, had booked their Egyptian getaway in October 2012 to celebrate two years together.

But days into their arrival both suffered symptoms of sickness, stomach cramps, and diarrhoea which left them requiring urgent medical treatment.

Gemma, a recruitment consultant, received treatment from the hotel doctor, who attempted to treat her symptoms by administering injections.

These proved not to be successful and she required the intravenous injection of fluids at a local clinic.

Despite this, the illness continued for three weeks after Gemma returned home. 

The couple complained that much of the food served in the hotel’s restaurants was re-heated and left uncovered, so that flies and other insects had free access to it.

Joe said: "It really was a horrible experience. You would never expect to get so ill during a holiday and we were still suffering with it when we returned home."

The couple sought legal action against the hotel and won £3,200 of compensation.

Joe, a manager in a pay roll company, continued: "We were not really aware at first that you could make a claim for a holiday illness."

Tracy Stansfield, holiday claims solicitor at Your Holiday Claims, added: "We are pleased that we could help Joe and Gemma obtain compensation for the nasty illness they contracted at the Hilton Sharks Bay.

"Holidays can be easily ruined by illness and spending time in a foreign clinic is not what you expect when you go on holiday. Not only will your holiday be spoilt but you may also have to find funds to pay for expensive medical treatment.

"It is vitally important that tour operators and hotel management ensure that all hotels follow the highest food and hygiene standards. Any failings in food hygiene procedures can very easily lead to illness amongst holidaymakers."