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Metro
6 days ago
- Health
- Metro
British gran stunned to find her Corfu hotel 'doesn't serve English food'
Susan Edwards, 69, set off for a seven-night stay at the Lido Corfu Sun Hotel (Picture: NCJ Media) A British grandma has been left more than disappointed on her dream all-inclusive holiday to Corfu after there was no English food. Susan Edwards, 69, set off for a seven-night stay at the Lido Corfu Sun Hotel in May with her three cousins and daughter. But the holiday, which cost them £750 each, was 'horrendous from the minute they got there'. The family were expecting impressive meals and drinks on tap, but were left paying €1.50 for water. Due to her ulcerative colitis, Susan, from Westerhope, Newcastle upon Tyne, was unable to eat much of the food on offer, and was upset chips were only available one night out of their week stay. Sign up for all of the latest stories Start your day informed with Metro's News Updates newsletter or get Breaking News alerts the moment it happens. Susan told Chronicle Live: 'On a morning you could have toast, a hard-boiled egg, or something in sauce. The food on offer was 'horrendous' (Picture: Susan Edwards/NCJ MEDIA) Due to her ulcerative colitis, Susan was unable to eat much of the food on offer (Picture: Susan Edwards/NCJ MEDIA) Susan has said she will never book another holiday with TUI again (Picture: NCJ MEDIA) 'We got chips one day. One day out of the whole lot. There was fish, sardines and rice – I was sick to death of looking at rice. 'There was pasta and salads, none of this was marked [labelled]. One night there was a Greek night and they had kebabs, I couldn't eat that. 'It's the worst holiday I've ever been on.' The only all-inclusive drinks that were on offer were wine, lager, ouzo or brandy, leaving Susan to pay extra for a Bacardi and Coke. She said: 'By the time we paid £750 for the holiday, €70 tourist tax for me and my daughter and an extra £450 for both of our meals, I could have been to the Caribbean on that.' TUI UK & I said: 'Our priority is to ensure customers have the best possible holiday experience, so we are sorry to hear that Mrs Edwards felt dissatisfied with her holiday. 'We have been in touch directly with Mrs Edwards to come to a resolution.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. Arrow MORE: Corfu is a terrible tourist trap, but this Greek village captured my heart Arrow MORE: Is it safe to travel to Turkey right now? Latest advice after 5.8 magnitude earthquake Arrow MORE: British woman killed after car crashes into bakery on popular holiday island
Scottish Sun
15-05-2025
- Scottish Sun
Brit teen Bella Culley was ‘visibly shaken' to learn she faced life in jail… as new details of drugs arrest emerge
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE British teenager arrested on suspicion of smuggling drugs was reportedly visibly shaken when she learned she faced life in jail. Bella Culley's lawyer has described the teen's emotional state for the first time after meeting with her dad and aunt. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 10 Bella Culley has been arrested on suspicion of smuggling drugs Credit: NCJ Media 10 The 18-year-old is from Billingham, County Durham Credit: @ / tiktok 10 Bella pictured in court in Tbilisi, Georgia 10 The female prison in Georgia where Bella is being held Credit: . 10 Bella, 18, faces life in jail after she was arrested at Tbilisi airport for allegedly entering the country with 34 bags of marijuana hidden in her luggage. The teen's lawyer, la Todua, told The Sun that Bella was shocked at the news and said that she "didn't know what she was doing". Ms Todua said: 'When I explained to her the consequences - that she could be sentenced to 15-20 years in prison or life - she was visibly shaken. 'My impression was that she ended up in Georgia without even knowing what she was doing. 'I got the impression she wasn't expecting those consequences." The lawyer revealed that Bella had yet to explain to her own legal team how or why she came to be in Georgia with the huge stash of drugs. Ms Todua said: 'She has not explained anything to me about the drugs - there will be a more detailed discussion about this later. 'This means that I have been unable to explain anything to her father.' The teen from Teeside stunned her family further when she announced that she was pregnant at her first court appearance on Wednesday. Ms Todua said: 'She was emotional - she announced in court that she was pregnant and one of the first things that will be done now is a medical check-up. Brit tourist, 18, reported missing for days in Thailand is arrested on 'drug offences' in Georgia 4,000 miles away "The pregnancy will be investigated." Bella has now submitted a formal request for her dad Niel and aunt Kerrie to be allowed to visit her in prison - which could take up to five working days to be processed. Ms Todua said: 'The visit could happen as soon as tomorrow but could be as late as next Wednesday, protocols have to be followed. 'Bella has written a letter to the authorities asking them to allow her father to visit, but they have not yet responded. 'They might respond tomorrow so he can go in, but they have up to five days to respond. "Bella has the right to demand a short term visit from her family of up to one hour. 'They would meet in a room, there would be no glass separating them.' Bella's dad and aunt were seen leaving the lawyer's looking upset and were being supported by UK embassy staff. But the lawyer assured that the pair had remained 'calm' throughout the ordeal. The lawyer also revealed that Bella had been assigned a young English-speaking foreign cellmate while on remand but declined to say what offence they had allegedly committed. Bella reportedly entered the Georgian capital on a flight from Thailand via Sharjah in the UAE, according to Ms Todua. The teen reportedly hid the weighty cannabis and hashish stash in separate packets crammed into her hold bag. 10 Bella pictured riding a scooter with a mystery companion 10 One of Bella's TikTok shows her joking about 'Bonnie and Clyde' crimes 10 The cannabis Bella is suspected of smuggling across the border Credit: East2West Bella now faces between ten years and life for suspected drug smuggling. But her distraught family are convinced she was led astray. Bella previously told loved ones she was meeting a man in the Philippines, sparking a police hunt for the mystery man. Bella's social media showed her clearly in the company of a male stranger on her travels - but he was never clearly pictured or named. Her granddad William Culley, 80, confirmed yesterday that while she appears to have spent most of March in Thailand she also spent time in the Philippines with a man called 'Ross or Russ'. Mr Culley said: "She went to the Philippines to see somebody, a lad there, who she used to go out with a couple of years ago, who was working out there. "She said, 'I'm going on my own, but I'm meeting Ross out there. Or Russ, I'm not sure what his name is. "He was working out there for his father's company or something - but now I wonder if what she told me was true." Video clips and snaps shared on social media show the teen holding onto a man as she rides pillion on a scooter and another shows her smoking a cannabis spliff. Another on TikTok shows her joking about 'Bonnie and Clyde' crimes and is captioned: 'Don't care if we on the run baby as long as I'm next to u.' But Bella's male companion's face never appears in the posts and he is never tagged. Family members said yesterday that she went on to meet a group of young men from the north west of England in Thailand before she was reported missing on Saturday. Her family raised the alarm, sparking a frantic search which ended in Bella's shocking arrest in Tbilisi. Bella's dad - who lives in Vietnam - even travelled to Thailand to help look for her. Her dad has now travelled to Tbilisi to try to see Bella, as he told how he is suffering "every parent's worst nightmare". Bella appeared in court in the Georgian capital after being detained by cops who are believed to have acted on a tip-off. Local sources said a border check revealed '34 hermetically sealed packages containing marijuana were found in the passenger's bag, as well as 20 packages of hashish'. The teen faces charges of illegally purchasing and storing narcotics, illegally purchasing and storing the narcotic drug marijuana, and illegally importing it into Georgia and is due back in court on July 1. Unexplained records have also emerged revealing Bella's apparent business links to the Far East - with her listed as the director of at least two companies with Chinese ties. Bella's cousin took to Facebook yesterday to make a statement. She wrote: "No parents ever want to find themselves in this situation, and they are going through the worst time of their lives right now and are at the start of an extremely difficult journey. "Speculation and rumours are making it harder to navigate through this nightmare." 10 Bella shared her travels on her social media accounts
The Irish Sun
15-05-2025
- The Irish Sun
Brit teen Bella Culley was ‘visibly shaken' to learn she faced life in jail… as new details of drugs arrest emerge
THE British teenager arrested on suspicion of smuggling drugs was reportedly visibly shaken when she learned she faced life in jail. Bella Culley's lawyer has described the teen's emotional state for the first time after meeting with her dad and aunt. 10 Bella Culley has been arrested on suspicion of smuggling drugs Credit: NCJ Media 10 The 18-year-old is from Billingham, County Durham Credit: @ / tiktok 10 Bella pictured in court in Tbilisi, Georgia 10 The female prison in Georgia where Bella is being held Credit: . 10 Bella, 18, faces life in jail after she was arrested at Tbilisi airport for allegedly entering the country with 34 bags of marijuana hidden in her luggage. The teen's lawyer, la Todua, told The Sun that Bella was shocked at the news and said that she "didn't know what she was doing". Ms Todua said: 'When I explained to her the consequences - that she could be sentenced to 15-20 years in prison or life - she was visibly shaken. 'My impression was that she ended up in Georgia without even knowing what she was doing. 'I got the impression she wasn't expecting those consequences." The lawyer revealed that Bella had yet to explain to her own legal team how or why she came to be in Georgia with the huge stash of drugs. Ms Todua said: 'She has not explained anything to me about the drugs - there will be a more detailed discussion about this later. 'This means that I have been unable to explain anything to her father.' Most read in The US Sun The teen from Teeside stunned her family further when she announced that she was pregnant at her first court appearance on Wednesday. Ms Todua said: 'She was emotional - she announced in court that she was pregnant and one of the first things that will be done now is a medical check-up. Brit tourist, 18, reported missing for days in Thailand is arrested on 'drug offences' in Georgia 4,000 miles away "The pregnancy will be investigated." Bella has now submitted a formal request for her dad Niel and aunt Kerrie to be allowed to visit her in prison - which could take up to five working days to be processed. Ms Todua said: 'The visit could happen as soon as tomorrow but could be as late as next Wednesday, protocols have to be followed. 'Bella has written a letter to the authorities asking them to allow her father to visit, but they have not yet responded. 'They might respond tomorrow so he can go in, but they have up to five days to respond. "Bella has the right to demand a short term visit from her family of up to one hour. 'They would meet in a room, there would be no glass separating them.' Bella's dad and aunt were seen leaving the lawyer's looking upset and were being supported by UK embassy staff. But the lawyer assured that the pair had remained 'calm' throughout the ordeal. The lawyer also revealed that Bella had been assigned a young English-speaking foreign cellmate while on remand but declined to say what offence they had allegedly committed. Bella reportedly entered the Georgian capital on a flight from Thailand via Sharjah in the UAE, according to Ms Todua. The teen reportedly hid the weighty cannabis and hashish stash in separate packets crammed into her hold bag. 10 Bella pictured riding a scooter with a mystery companion 10 One of Bella's TikTok shows her joking about 'Bonnie and Clyde' crimes 10 The cannabis Bella is suspected of smuggling across the border Credit: East2West Bella now But her distraught family are convinced she was led astray. Bella previously told loved ones she was meeting a man in the Philippines, sparking a police hunt for the mystery man. Bella's social media showed her clearly in the company of a male stranger on her travels - but he was never clearly pictured or named. Her granddad William Culley, 80, confirmed yesterday that while she appears to have spent most of March in Mr Culley said: "She went to the Philippines to see somebody, a lad there, who she used to go out with a couple of years ago, who was working out there. "She said, 'I'm going on my own, but I'm meeting Ross out there. Or Russ, I'm not sure what his name is. "He was working out there for his father's company or something - but now I wonder if what she told me was true." Video clips and snaps shared on social media show the teen holding onto a man as she rides pillion on a scooter and another shows her Another on But Bella's male companion's face never appears in the posts and he is never tagged. Family members said yesterday Her family raised the alarm, sparking a frantic search which ended in Bella's shocking arrest in Tbilisi. Bella's dad - who lives in Vietnam - even travelled to Thailand to help look for her. Her dad has now travelled to Tbilisi to try to see Bella, as he told how he is suffering "every parent's worst nightmare". Bella appeared in court in the Georgian capital after being detained by cops who are believed to have acted on a tip-off. Local sources said a border check revealed '34 hermetically sealed packages containing marijuana were found in the passenger's bag, as well as 20 packages of hashish'. The teen faces charges of illegally purchasing and storing narcotics, illegally purchasing and storing the narcotic drug marijuana, and illegally importing it into Georgia and is due back in court on July 1. Unexplained records have also emerged revealing Bella's apparent business links to the Far East - with her listed as the director of at least two companies with Chinese ties. Bella's cousin took to Facebook yesterday to make a statement. Read more on the Irish Sun She wrote: "No parents ever want to find themselves in this situation, and they are going through the worst time of their lives right now and are at the start of an extremely difficult journey. "Speculation and rumours are making it harder to navigate through this nightmare." 10 Bella shared her travels on her social media accounts 10 Bella pictured on a motorcycle while on her travels
Scottish Sun
15-05-2025
- Scottish Sun
Bella Culley changed backpacking plans to join mystery Brits in Thailand before jetting to Georgia ‘with 30lb drug haul'
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) DRUGS arrest teen Bella Culley changed her backpacking plans last minute to follow a gang of British lads to Thailand, it has emerged. The nursing student originally jetted to the Philippines to meet an old pal from home when she fell in with the strangers from the north west of the UK. 7 Bella May Culley, 18, seen in court in Tbilisi Credit: East2West 7 She faces being caged in an overcrowded ex-Soviet jail after being arrested on drug smuggling charges Credit: @ / tiktok 7 She was detained at Tbilisi airport in Georgia on suspicion of carrying 14kg of cannabis Credit: East2West 7 They persuaded her to change her original itinerary and head to Thailand with them - before she was late caught allegedly smuggling 30lbs of cannabis. Bella's distraught dad and aunt were still battling to see the 18-year-old in Georgian capital Tbilisi today after she claimed in court she is pregnant. The teenager's lawyer failed to arrive for meetings designed to give the family access to Bella behind bars as part of compassionate visits. Family in UK confirmed she had a long-term boyfriend but they had not previously known about a pregnancy, although she had been travelling for two months, meaning she may not have known. read more in world news TRUMP'S PRAISE Donald Trump hails former terrorist warlord as 'a young, attractive guy' The British teenager announced she was pregnant following her arrest for allegedly smuggling £200,000 worth of drugs into Georgia. Culley sparked a frantic police hunt after vanishing in Thailand - before turning up with a suitcase full of cannabis 4,000 miles away in the former Soviet state. Her father Niel Culley, 49, arrived in Georgian capital Tbilisi demanding answers after suffering 'every parents nightmare.' But the distraught dad was yesterday facing a wall of red tape as he battled to get a face-to-face meeting at Tbilisi's grim No 5 Women's Penitentiary. Mr Culley - who jetted in after launching a search for his daughter in Thailand - is meeting British consular officials Tbilisi today. But he has been unable to enter the jail on the outskirts of the capital because his local lawyer has yet to obtain essential paperwork. 7 Bella had been reported missing in Thailand ahead of her arrest Credit: NCJ Media 7 She was detained at Tbilisi airport in Georgia on suspicion of carrying 14kg of cannabis Credit: East2West Bella - who has posted snaps of herself smoking cannabis joints in Thailand and joked about her 'Bonnie and Clyde' lifestyle has so far not explained why she allegedly arrived with more than 30lb of the drug. But she did tearfully tell a court she was pregnant before being remanded in custody in the tough Soviet era jail until July 1. Legal sources in Tblisi say Mr Culley - originally from County Durham but now living in Vietnam - is desperate to see his daughter. His sister - Bella's aunt Kellie Culley - has also arrived to support him. But Georgian rules forbid relatives from entering jails to see remand prisoners unless they have a lawyer present with signed documents. And Bella's lawyer - who usually handles local legally aided cases - was today sway to be tied up with other clients. Legal sources told The Sun he would be unable to see Bella today as prison bosses were unavailable to sign necessary paperwork to authorise a visit. The bureaucratic hold up prolongs the anxiety for Mr Culley and his family, who are still awaiting answers. Her grandfather William Culley 80, said: "Last night they were told they could see her in the morning. "They said they'd ring me straight after they had seen her but I haven't had a call. They must still be waiting. "It's just really important that they get to see her as soon as possible. The poor bairn must be at her wits' end. Especially if we can't see her. "Everything should be done to make that happen." Mr Culley said that Bella had travelled to the Philippines with plans to meet a friend who had moved to the country from the North East. Although Bella's father Niel lives in Vietnam, he retains a property in Billingham. Mr Culley said he had been instructed by his son to market the house to raise money towards legal help for his daughter, who had recently started doing bank shifts as a nurse. He said he was "surprised" when lawyers for Bella revealed she is pregnant. "I only found out when my daughter told me last night." A family friend of Bella claimed the teenager had been "completely exploited" after falling in with British drug dealers while backpacking. "She's just a normal 18-year-old. She's not some hardened criminal," the friend said. "I hope somebody sees some sense that she's not a criminal. She's a victim. Imagine your own daughter in that position – it's terrifying."
The Irish Sun
15-05-2025
- The Irish Sun
Bella Culley changed backpacking plans to join mystery Brits in Thailand before jetting to Georgia ‘with 30lb drug haul'
DRUGS arrest teen Bella Culley changed her backpacking plans last minute to follow a gang of British lads to Thailand, it has emerged. The north west of the UK. Advertisement 7 Bella May Culley, 18, seen in court in Tbilisi Credit: East2West 7 She faces being caged in an overcrowded ex-Soviet jail after being arrested on drug smuggling charges Credit: @ / tiktok 7 She was detained at Tbilisi airport in Georgia on suspicion of carrying 14kg of cannabis Credit: East2West 7 They persuaded her to change her original itinerary and head to Thailand with them - before she was late caught allegedly smuggling 30lbs of cannabis. Bella's distraught dad and aunt were still battling to see the 18-year-old in Georgian capital Tbilisi today after she claimed in court she is pregnant. The teenager's lawyer failed to arrive for meetings designed to give the Family in UK confirmed she had a long-term boyfriend but they had not previously known about a pregnancy, although she had been travelling for two months, meaning she may not have known. Advertisement read more in world news The British Culley sparked a frantic police hunt after vanishing in Thailand - before turning up with a suitcase full of cannabis 4,000 miles away in the former Soviet state. Her father Niel Culley, 49, arrived in Georgian capital Tbilisi demanding answers after suffering 'every parents nightmare.' But the distraught dad was yesterday facing a wall of red tape as he battled to get a face-to-face meeting at Tbilisi's grim No 5 Women's Penitentiary. Advertisement Most read in The Sun Exclusive Mr Culley - who jetted in after launching a search for his daughter in Thailand - is meeting British consular officials Tbilisi today. But he has been unable to enter the jail on the outskirts of the capital because his local lawyer has yet to obtain essential paperwork. 7 Bella had been reported missing in Thailand ahead of her arrest Credit: NCJ Media 7 She was detained at Tbilisi airport in Georgia on suspicion of carrying 14kg of cannabis Credit: East2West Advertisement Bella - But she did tearfully tell a court she was pregnant before being remanded in custody in the tough Soviet era jail until July 1. Legal sources in Tblisi say Mr Culley - originally from County Durham but now living in Vietnam - is desperate to see his daughter. His sister - Bella's aunt Kellie Culley - has also arrived to support him. Advertisement But Georgian rules forbid relatives from entering jails to see remand prisoners unless they have a lawyer present with signed documents. And Bella's lawyer - who usually handles local legally aided cases - was today sway to be tied up with other clients. Legal sources told The Sun he would be unable to see Bella today as prison bosses were unavailable to sign necessary paperwork to authorise a visit. The bureaucratic hold up prolongs the anxiety for Mr Culley and his family, who are still awaiting answers. Advertisement Her grandfather William Culley 80, said: "Last night they were told they could see her in the morning. "They said they'd ring me straight after they had seen her but I haven't had a call. They must still be waiting. "It's just really important that they get to see her as soon as possible. The poor bairn must be at her wits' end. Especially if we can't see her. "Everything should be done to make that happen." Advertisement Mr Culley said that Bella had travelled to the Philippines with plans to meet a friend who had moved to the country from the North East. Although Bella's father Niel lives in Vietnam, he retains a property in Billingham. Mr Culley said he had been instructed by his son to market the house to raise money towards legal help for his daughter, who had recently started doing bank shifts as a nurse. He said he was "surprised" when lawyers for Bella revealed she is pregnant. "I only found out when my daughter told me last night." Advertisement A family friend of Bella claimed the teenager had been "completely exploited" after falling in with British drug dealers while backpacking. "She's just a normal 18-year-old. She's not some hardened criminal," the friend said. "I hope somebody sees some sense that she's not a criminal. She's a victim. Imagine your own daughter in that position – it's terrifying." 7 The teenager took to the stand to announce that she was pregnant in a hearing at Tbilisi city court Credit: @ / tiktok Advertisement
