Police called to Pontins after mother stages sit-in

Police were called to Pontins after a mother staged a sit-in when her family were forced to endure the ‘holiday from hell’ plagued by rows, bloody mattresses and a rat in the restaurant.

Rachelle Hughes, 39, said she arrived at the holiday destination with three of her children only to find her chalet full of dirty dishes, wet beach towels and half-eaten Bolognese.

Photos shared by the mother-of-five show dishes piled up by the sink, dirty bed shirts and debris scattered across the floor at the Southport holiday resort. 

Despite cleaners coming to her room after her complaints, Ms Hughes, from Wrexham, said the room still was not suitable for her three children.

Photos shared by the mother-of-five show dishes piled up in the sink, with the kitchen area not cleaned before her arrival

Dirty dishes, cups, mugs and a saucepan were left in the sink

A half-eaten bolognese was left upon a

Dirty dishes, cups, mugs and a saucepan were left in the sink while a half-eaten bolognese was left on the side

Ms Hughes said she and her 12-year-old daughter Summer spent hours cleaning the room after buying cleaning products of their own.

After her complaints, she said she received a free meal voucher, but when she visited the on-site restaurant, they videoed what appears to be a large rodent running across the floor as diners look on in horror.

The family booked the holiday during the August Bank Holiday but decided to book an extra four days so they could spend the whole week.

With them making two separate bookings, they thought they may have to move rooms for the second leg of their stay. But after finding the room in such a shocking condition, they claim the manager said they could stay in their initial chalet which they had cleaned.

However they soon found out that Pontins had other plans when her partner David Crocombe saw people walking into their room.

Ms Hughes, who suffers from epilepsy, said: ‘We went to the clubhouse but my partner went back to the apartment and saw people walking in.

‘They went to reception and told us we had to get out. I said: “I’m not moving after after all that cleaning I’ve done – I’ve scrubbed the place. Our apartment was gleaming – I mopped it every day.”‘ 

She added: ‘[The manager] said if you don’t move, I’m going to change the locks on the apartment and, if you want to get your stuff back you will have to phone the police. I said: “Phone the police – I’m not leaving that room”.’

They then decided to refuse to leave their room and a member of staff came to change the locks.  

A loose fitting with what appears to be punch-marks is awkwardly lodged behind one of the mattresses

A loose fitting with what appears to be punch-marks is awkwardly lodged behind one of the mattresses

What appears to be a bloody mattress also greeted the family

What appears to be a bloody mattress also greeted the family

The beds were not made for the family and a dirty duvet was left on top of a grubby mattress 

The beds were not made for the family and a dirty duvet was left on top of a grubby mattress 

She said: ‘Security were sent and they said you’ve got to leave the room. The people had been put next door so they weren’t after our room.’

Ms Hughes said the manager then called police who arrived in a ‘riot van’ and eventually they were forced to move to another chalet, where she said the mattresses were stained with what looked like blood.

Merseyside Police confirmed officers were called to a ‘disagreement’ the site at 7.35pm on Friday, August 25.

They said they attended a ‘civil matter’ at the holiday site.

The entire stay cost Rachelle £453.30, after she paid £271 for her Monday to Friday trip and £182.30 for the Bank Holiday weekend break. 

The rubbish was left inside the bin. The inside of the bin was left filthy too and the walls also appear to have a splattering of food on the side

The rubbish was left inside the bin. The inside of the bin was left filthy too and the walls also appear to have a splattering of food on the side

A beach towel and an empty milk carton were left in the bathroom

A beach towel and an empty milk carton were left in the bathroom

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