IMAGINE going on holiday to find rats by the pool or bird faeces by the hotel bar.

Or booking a hotel only to find out once you’ve paid that it has closed, and you can’t get a refund either.

HolidayTravelWatch hears all kinds of complaints from holidaymakers, and they estimate that returning holiday illnesses alone are costing the UK economy more than £200m a year - all paid for by the taxpayer.

Five of their biggest complaints include:

1. A family holiday to Egypt where a child was struck down by severe food poisoning, hospitalisation and subsequent scalding in the hotel restaurant.

2. A couple reporting that they saw staff at their Dominican Republic hotel, urinating and defecating behind a beach cabin which was directly in front of their balcony. They also reported a ’stream’ of sewage flowing alongside the hotel to the sea. And on arrival they were told at the ‘welcome’ meeting that they would suffer with the ‘Puerto Platter Splatters’ - they ended up suffering severe gastric illness and had to fly home early. They are still ill.

3. Reports of up to 400 people falling ill on a cruise with many being confined to their cabins.

4. A newly married couple are still waiting for their marriage certificate, eight months after their wedding day, despite a major tour company stating that it was being organised.

5. Returning holidaymakers being ‘fined’ (not having their deposit returned) for failing to clean their apartment, despite the fact they maintain that they did.

A full list can be seen at their website.

News Shopper wants to hear about any of your holiday experiences that have gone terribly wrong, whether it was poor accommodation, the holiday company collapsing or downright rudeness from hotel staff.

Get in touch with us by emailing dmills@london.newsquest.co.uk or calling 01689 885711.