Lincoln victim of Cyprus hotel fall urges people to get insurance
A man who suffered serious injuries after falling from a balcony while on holiday in Cyprus is urging people to take out travel insurance before they go abroad.Sam Hudson, 24, from Lincoln, broke his leg, pelvis and spine when he fell four storeys from a hotel balcony in Ayia Napa.He did not have travel insurance in place and he is now stranded in a hospital more than 2,000 miles from home."I did the stupid thing. I didn't get insurance and I thought I'd be all right. But I'm not," he said from the hospital bed he has been stuck in for 10 days.
The Association of British Insurers backed the message that travel insurance was vital, and pointed out that medical treatment overseas could be stressful and expensive.Mr Hudson travelled to Ayia Napa with his stepbrother, Nathan, and their friend, Alfie. It was the first time he had been away with friends alone."Our holiday had been planned for about four months. We were all really looking forward to it. I'd never been on a lads' holiday," he said.
The holiday quickly turned into a disaster. His leg is in plaster and he has a catheter because he can't be moved.He has not been able to eat properly since the accident and he is surviving by eating jelly. He has to call for a nurse to plug in his phone when the battery gets low.Mr Hudson said the care he was receiving was good but the language barrier was making it difficult for him to explain his pain to the staff.He doesn't remember much about his holiday or the accident, but witnesses said he was trying to climb from his bedroom balcony to his stepbrother's balcony in the next-door room.He fell and landed on concrete below.Because he had not taken out travel insurance or signed up for a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) – which allows people to receive free or reduced-cost treatment – he cannot be operated on in Cyprus.
'Angry but relieved'
His stepmother, Karen, and dad, Mike, are trying to help him, but because he has been living with friends and his ex-partner, it is hard to prove his address.They flew to Cyprus after the accident, which cost them about £1,300. They are now making plans for Karen to fly back to Cyprus but say flights, accommodation and food will cost them up to £3,000 a month – and they think she will have to stay until August."I'm angry because of the way Sam acted, but it's not relevant at the moment," she said."When he comes home and he's no longer in pain we will be having a chat. I'm angry but I'm also relieved because he's alive. It could have been worse."Flying Mr Hudson home on a medical flight could cost as much as £38,000, so the family have launched a fundraising campaign.They are urging everyone to get travel insurance and a GHIC card.They have also started a petition calling on the government to make it a legal requirement for everyone who goes abroad to take out a travel insurance policy.Mr Hudson's message is clear: "Get travel insurance. It's definitely worth it."
Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Scientists warn of surprising amount of microplastics found in glass and plastic bottles
Drinks sold in glass bottles, like soda, wine, or beer, may contain more microplastic particles than those in plastic ones, a surprising new study published by France's food safety agency suggests. Microplastics, several times smaller than the width of a single human hair strand, form as plastic waste breaks down into smaller pieces over time, finding their way into the environment and into the bodies of humans and other species. They have been detected almost everywhere, polluting the clouds, the deepest parts of the ocean and on the sides of the world's tallest mountains. A growing body of studies warns that exposure to these particles via the air we breathe and the food we eat could be linked to serious health conditions like strokes, hormone disruptions and several kinds of cancer. Scientists hope to better understand the prevalence of these potentially toxic particles and the ways in which humans get exposed to them. Previous research has found direct evidence linking a key ingredient of plastic bottles to an increased risk of diabetes. Now, a new study published in the Journal of Food Composition and Analysis has found that microplastics are prevalent even in beverages sold in glass bottles. Researchers, including those from the French food safety agency ANSES, found an average of around 100 microplastic particles per litre in glass bottles of soft drinks, lemonade, tea, and beer. This could be five to 50 times greater than the rate found in plastic bottles or metal cans, scientists say. 'Counterintuitively, drinks sold in glass bottles were more contaminated by microplastics,' they wrote in the study. "We expected the opposite result," Iseline Chaib, one of the authors of the new study, told AFP. The study could not directly establish whether there was any health risk from the consumption of such beverages sold in glass bottles or not, due to the lack of toxicological data. Scientists found that the microplastic particles in the glass bottles corresponded to the colour and polymer composition of the paint on their caps, indicating that this was likely the main source of contamination. They recommend that glass bottle manufacturers clean new capsules before capping the bottles to reduce microplastic contamination. 'Pre-cleaning of new capsules, by blowing them out and rinsing them with water/ethanol/water, has significantly reduced the number of MPs (microplastics) per encapsulated bottle, lowering it by approximately three, compared to untreated capsules,' scientists said. Researchers suspect the capsules used for capping glass bottles likely undergo abrasion and surface friction as they collide during storage and transport, causing their particles to flake into bottles. 'Cleaning seems to be essential and could significantly minimise contamination of the liquid in the bottle by paint particles present in the capsule,' they added.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Study finds nightmares TRIPLE the risk of dying early - are you in danger?
A new study suggests that nightmare sufferers could be three times more likely to die a decade earlier than the average person. Weekly nightmares were also found to be a stronger indicator of an early death than smoking, obesity, poor diet, and little physical activity. Children and adults with frequent nightmares also showed faster biological ageing, which accounted for approximately 40 per cent of the explanation for the increased risk of early death. Even monthly nightmares were linked to faster ageing and increased mortality, compared to those who rarely or never have them. Scientists behind the study, from Imperial College London, said the link is likely due to the harmful effect of disrupted sleep and nightmare-induced stress on our body's cells. Dr Abidemi Otaiku, a brain science research fellow at Imperial College London (ICL), who led the team, said: 'This stress reaction can be even more intense than anything we experience while awake. 'Our sleeping brains cannot distinguish dreams from reality. 'That's why nightmares often wake us up sweating, gasping for breath, and with our hearts pounding—because our fight-or-flight response has been triggered.' He added: 'Nightmares lead to prolonged elevations of cortisol, a stress hormone closely linked to faster cellular ageing. 'They also disrupt sleep quality and duration which impairs the body's ability to repair itself and restore cells throughout the night.' Otaiku shared 'simple measures' the public can take to prevent nightmares in the first place. He said: 'Avoiding scary movies, maintaining good sleep hygiene, managing stress, and seeking treatment for anxiety or depression can be effective.' The expert also recommended a special type of psychological treatment called image rehearsal therapy. This involves re-writing and rehearsing a nightmare into a less frightening version and can be done from your own home. However, those suffering from frequent night terrors that affect their quality of life may benefit from seeing a sleep specialist. In particular, he suggested trying another type of talking therapy for insomnia sufferers called CBT-I, which has been shown in studies to reduce nightmares and slow the ageing of brain cells. The technique aims to help people with insomnia address underlying thoughts and behaviours that contribute to their sleep problems. Recent studies have shown a lack of sleep increases the risk of heart disease, obesity, and death by 83 per cent, 82, per cent, and 40 per cent, respectively. However, the researchers from Imperial and the Dementia Research Institute in London are the first to show that nightmare frequency is an indicator of an early death. The team analyzed data from 2,429 children aged eight to ten and 183,012 adults aged 26 to 86 over a period of 19 years. Nightmare frequency in adults was self-reported at the start of the study, with participants monitored for up to 19 years. Childrens' nightmare frequency was reported by their parents at the beginning of the study. The team's findings were presented at the European Academy Of Neurology (EAN) Congress 2025, on June 23. The researchers revealed that those who reported an average of one nightmare a week, over the course of a decade, were three times more likely to die before the age of 70 compared to those who do not experience night terrors. The new findings follow a recent study that revealed daytime napping was linked to a higher risk of early death. The discovery was made by researchers who tracked the sleep habits of more than 86,000 healthy middle-aged adults. They found that those who regularly napped - particularly in the early afternoon -were more likely to die prematurely than those who did not. The study, presented at the SLEEP 2025 conference, found the risk of death rose by up to 20 per cent among frequent nappers. Experts said daytime sleepiness may be a warning sign of disrupted or poor-quality night-time rest, and could point to underlying health problems such as sleep disorders, dementia, or heart failure. Professor James Rowley, from Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, who was not involved in the research, said the findings should influence how doctors ask patients about sleep. Speaking to Medscape Medical News, he said: 'The major take-home message is that if a doctor asks about a patient's sleep habits, they should also be asking about napping. 'In other words, doctors should be asking their patients, "do you nap in the day?"'
The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
Warning as disposable vapes found to contain toxic METALS linked to cancer
DISPOSABLE vapes could increase a person's risk of cancer, respiratory disease, and never damage, scientists have warned. While a ban on the sale and supply of single-use vapes came into effect in the UK at the beginning of this month, researchers have revealed the hidden health risk for those continuing to use them. 1 In a new report published in ACS Central Science, it was found after a few hundred puffs, some disposable vaping devices release higher levels of toxic metals than refillable e-cigarettes and traditional cigarettes. According to Brett Poulin, the corresponding author of the study from the University of California, Davis, hazardous levels of neurotoxic lead and carcinogenic nickel were found. Studies on early generations of refillable e-cigarettes found their heating components could release metals such as chromium and nickel ions into the internal liquid that becomes the vapour people breathe. In the past few years, disposable e-cigarettes have proven more popular than older refillable vapes - but little is known about the elemental composition of vapours from the newer devices. So Poulin and colleagues set out to assess popular disposable e-cigarette brands to evaluate the potential health risks they could pose to a user. Among their findings, one of the disposable e-cigarettes studied released more lead during a day's use than nearly 20 packs of traditional cigarettes. The researchers tested only three of the nearly 100 disposable e-cigarette brands available on store shelves. But they said the results are concerning because of their popularity, especially among adolescents and young adults. Disposable vapes have been found to pose several dangers. They often contain high levels of nicotine, which is highly addictive and can lead to dependence, making it difficult to quit, especially for young people whose brains are still developing, say experts. Disposable vapes will be banned across UK by next summer to stop Britain's kids from getting hooked Vaping in general can also cause coughing, shortness of breath, and irritation of the throat and nose. It can also exacerbate existing respiratory conditions like asthma and potentially lead to lung scarring or EVALI (e-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury). And long-term vaping may impair blood vessel function, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. Disposable vapes were banned in the UK primarily due to environmental concerns and the increasing popularity of vaping among children. Disposable vapes are often discarded as litter, contributing to pollution and harming wildlife. Their batteries can also pose fire risks in recycling facilities and leak harmful chemicals. Also, disposable vapes are seen as particularly appealing to children due to their flavours and attractive packaging, leading to a rise in youth vaping rates. The ban is specifically targeted at single-use vapes, while reusable vapes are still allowed, as they are seen as having a lower environmental impact and are used by adults to quit smoking. What's banned The ban specifically targets single-use, disposable vapes. This includes those with non-rechargeable or non-refillable batteries. Why the ban? The government cites two main reasons: reducing the environmental impact of disposable vapes (a major source of litter) and curbing the increasing number of young people becoming addicted to nicotine through vaping. Who is affected? The ban primarily affects retailers, who can no longer sell or supply disposable vapes. It also impacts manufacturers, wholesalers, and importers. What about consumers? While consumers can no longer purchase disposable vapes from retailers, they are not prohibited from using them. Alternatives Consumers can still access refillable and rechargeable vapes, which are not affected by the ban. Enforcement and penalties In England, retailers violating the ban may face a £200 fine for the first offence. Further infractions could result in unlimited fines or even prosecution.
