Latest news with #ElaineSimpson
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Disabled grandmother says sunbed vigilantes who filmed themselves hiding her family's pool-side towels ruined their holiday
A disabled grandmother has accused sunbed vigilantes of ruining her holiday after they hid her and her family's poolside towels. Wheelchair user Elaine Simpson, 77, from Manchester, was staying with her relatives at the Aquasol Aparthotel near Magaluf when the shocking incident took place. Ms Simpson had been looking forward to spending a day by the poolside and was given permission to reserve sun loungers due to her disability. But, her plans were ruined after a group of friends filmed themselves nicking the towels they had used to save their spots. Ms Simpson explained how her hotel room was on the fifth floor and far away from the pool. And, because she has chronic arthritis and is in a wheelchair, this made it a challenge for her to claim a hotel sunbed before they were all taken. The grandmother raised her concerns with reception and was granted permission to reserve the loungers. But when they arrived in the morning, the towels were gone and they were left without a space again. Ms Simpson told The Sun: 'The only thing that was available apart from that was white plastic chairs, she added. At first the family thought it might have been a life guard who removed the towels in error. But it later transpired they were taken due to an awkward misunderstanding. A group of friends had assumed the towels were put down by tourists attempting to get ahead of the morning rush and were unaware an exception was made for the family. They shared a video on TikTok showing the teenagers laying out the towels in what was perceived as a rebellion against queue jumpers. The innocent family came under fire in the comments section - with viewers criticizing them for the apparent breach of hotel rules. Ms Simpson said: 'It was vile. My grandsons are 13 and 15, they had no right to post any pictures of them. They shared a video on TikTok showing the teenagers laying out the towels in what was perceived as a rebellion against queue jumpers. Pictured: Ms Simpson's grandson's putting down the towels 'They were just trying to look out for me. 'They've not right to do that without checking the facts. 'What somebody saw, and the truth, are completely different.' Ms Simpson said her daughter has contacted the TikToker who posted the original video and that she apologised profusely for the confusion and took the clip down. It comes after British holidaymakers were seen queuing for over an hour in a bid to secure the best poolside spots at a Canary Islands resort. Sunseekers armed with towels, suncream, and flipflops were captured in bizarre footage on May 28 lining up for the pool at the Barceló Lanzarote Active Resort, Las Palmas, Spain. It appears the sunbed wars are now in full swing with hotel guests setting alarms extra early just to form queues to the pool area until staff give them the all clear. The queue of people has become a regular morning routine for holidaymakers at the Spanish hotel according to guests. Isabelle Hanssen, whose balcony overlooks the pool watched on at the pool goers eagerly waited in line. According to the halfpipe skier, the queue is usually made up of Brits with a few Germans also standing in line. Isabelle, from the Netherlands, also revealed that the queues start from as early as 8am despite the pool not opening until 9:30am.
The Sun
5 days ago
- Health
- The Sun
Sun lounger vigilantes RUINED my holiday, says disabled Brit OAP after fuming tourists were filmed snatching pool towels
A BRIT tourist was left fuming after TikTokers swiped bed towels from a sun lounger she had been given permission to reserve due to her disability. Wheelchair user Elaine Simpson, 77, from Manchester, was staying at the Aquasol Aparthotel near Magaluf with her family to mark her 51st wedding anniversary. 4 4 4 4 But her plans to enjoy the special day by the poolside were ruined after a group of friends nabbed the towels they had used to save their spaces at the permission of hotel staff. Elaine was joined for the trip by her husband and teenage grandkids for a week's break in the sun. But when they arrived, she was put into a hotel room that was five floors up and as far from the pool as they could have been. Because she suffers from chronic arthritis and is in a wheelchair, this made it a challenge to claim a hotel sun bed at opening time. She told the Sun: "We could never have made it down for 9am to get a sunbed. "So we went out to the beach and paid for sunbeds for the whole week." Her anniversary came towards the end of their trip - and she wanted to have one day of being able to enjoy the poolside at the hotel. So she asked reception if they could make an exception to hotel rules and let her reserve a sun bed for that day. "I went to the man on reception and explained the situation," she said. "And he said 'you have my approval to reserve some sunbeds around the pool'." Her teenage grandsons dutifully laid out fresh towels on the sun beds that night so they could save spots for the whole family. But when they arrived in the morning, the towels had been taken and they were once again left without a space - spoiling the relaxing poolside day they had planned. "The only thing that was available apart from that was white plastic chairs, she added. "They were too hard. And I can't lie down on the grass, I've got chronic arthritis." To start with, they were told it had likely been a lifeguard who removed the towels in error. But it later transpired that a group of friends, who were unaware an exception was made for the family, had taken the towels. They had shared a video on TikTok of the lads putting down the towels - who the friends had assumed were tourists attempting to get ahead of the morning rush. The TikTok shows them sneaking down in the dead of night to swipe the towels in what was painted as an act of justice against queue jumpers. Comments on the video lambasted the family for what was perceived as an inconsiderate act of breaking the hotel rules. Elaine told the Sun: "It was vile. My grandsons are 13 and 15, they had no right to post any pictures of them. "They were just trying to look out for me. "They've not right to do that without checking the facts. "What somebody saw, and the truth, are completely different." Elaine said her daughter has since made contact with the TikToker who posted the original video, who apologised profusely for the confusion and took the clip down. But she added that the experience hasn't entirely soured their trip. They plan to go back to the same hotel next August, and hope to arrange a more wheelchair friendly room with staff.
