Mum denied dying wish

Sep 6 2009 by Mr Justice, Sunday Sun

A HOLIDAY company has been branded heartless after a reader died as I was trying to resolve her complaint.

Isabella Hudson, 86, had paid for a family trip to a holiday camp as a thank-you for nursing her through a stroke.

But she took ill again and most of the family were unable to go on the weekend.

Isabella’s daughter, Brenda Prior, asked Hoseasons to change the dates. But the company refused. And as I was in the middle of trying to find a resolution, I had bad news.

Brenda told me her mum had sadly lost her fight and died in hospital.

The story began a week earlier when Brenda asked for my help in the dispute.

At the time she said: “My mother is recovering from a stroke. As a thank-you to her daughters and granddaughters for nursing her back to health, she booked us a caravan for three nights at a caravan park.

“It cost her £330. She is nearly 87 and unfortunately she has fallen and broke her hip. She now has pneumonia and is very ill in North Tyneside Hospital and very upset that she can’t take us away. She may never recover, but I wanted to give her hope and tell her we have changed the dates and hopefully take her in a couple of months. However, Hoseasons has refused to change the date saying we never paid a cancellation fee.”

A spokesman for Hoseasons confirmed a booking was made for six but two turned up.

He said: “Regardless of the situation, two people turned up and took a holiday.”

In the meantime, Brenda, of Longbenton, North Tyneside, told me her mother had passed away.

She said: “Our mum has lost her fight. We are devastated at how heartless Hoseasons have been. Please feel free to go ahead and print my story. They deserve a thumbs-down for the sake of a couple of hundred pounds.”

I went back to Hoseasons in the hope of a better reply, but was disappointed.

They said: “Our thoughts and sympathies are with them but our position remains unchanged.”

All I can do is meet Brenda’s wishes and give Hoseasons the thumbs down she believes they so thoroughly deserve.