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.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Telegraph

39 minutes ago

• Telegraph

NHS sends patients abroad after waiting lists hit record high

The NHS is paying to send rising numbers of British patients abroad for treatment after waiting lists in England hit record highs. The health service is funding treatments across Europe in countries including Poland, Lithuania and the Czech Republic. Treatments being carried out abroad range from routine operations, including hip replacements and cataract operations, to more complex cancer surgery. The number of people having such procedures overseas has jumped by 42 per cent in just two years, The Telegraph can reveal. The Health Secretary described the situation as 'unacceptable', saying a 'broken NHS' had left patients waiting 'far too long for treatment, forcing many to go private or even seek healthcare abroad'. The revelations come as Wes Streeting prepares to publish a 10-year health plan that aims to clear backlogs and reform the way services are delivered. On Friday night, he pledged his plan would 'catapult the NHS into the 21st century and get people seen on time in a modern health service on British shores'. Experts said the rising cases were a 'terrible indictment' of the state of the NHS, with Poland, Germany, Italy and Belgium among the main beneficiaries. Under a little-known post-Brexit healthcare agreement, the NHS will pay another European country to treat UK patients where there is 'undue delay' to them accessing equivalent treatment on the NHS within a 'medically acceptable timeframe'. Patients desperate to have gynaecology surgery and hip replacements were the most likely to get NHS approval to travel overseas for their treatment. Those waiting for cancer treatment, and surgery to repair hernias, remove gallbladders and treat cataracts also fled Britain to get help more quickly, the investigation reveals. The treatment or surgery must be provided by a state healthcare system, not a private clinic, and patients must fund their own travel and accommodation costs. There has been a rapid rise in the number of UK patients using the scheme, as the NHS battles to reduce waiting lists, which peaked in 2023. In the last three years, the NHS has spent £4.32 million sending 352 patients overseas for treatment, according to data from the NHS Business Services Authority, which handles the payments. The number of overseas treatments paid for by the NHS jumped from 99 in 2022-23 to 112 in 2023-24 and rose again to 141 in 2024-25, according to figures obtained by The Telegraph under Freedom of Information laws. Mr Streeting said: 'This Government inherited a broken NHS, with patients left waiting far too long for treatment, forcing many to go private or even seeking healthcare abroad. This is unacceptable and, since day one in office, we have been delivering the investment and reform needed to turn the NHS around. 'We are focused on delivering for patients, so they get the treatment they need, when they need it, closer to home. In less than a year, we've delivered 3.6 million more appointments, cut the waiting list by almost a quarter of a million, and diagnosed an extra 100,000 suspected cancer patients on time. 'There's a long way to go, but we are finally putting the NHS on the road to recovery. 'Our forthcoming 10-year plan will lay out how we catapult the NHS into the 21st century and get people seen on time in a modern health service on British shores.' Dennis Reed, from Silver Voices, said: 'This is a terrible indictment of the state of the NHS. People have to be desperate to think about having hospital treatment in another country, hundreds of miles away. 'It is really worrying and it's also worrying about the inequalities – most of us wouldn't know about this scheme, and many could not afford the travel and hotels, so the vast majority of the population just have to put up with really long waits.' 'Says a lot about pressures on NHS' There are currently 1.4 million people waiting for NHS gynaecology or orthopaedic procedures, including hip replacements, in England. Of these, nearly 43,000 have waited more than a year for treatment since being diagnosed, latest figures for April 2025 show. Siva Anandaciva, director of policy at The King's Fund, said it was 'striking' that more Britons were getting treatment overseas. 'It was only a few years ago that the concerns about medical tourism were that too many people were coming to the UK to seek treatment. It says a lot about the pressures the NHS is under that the concern now is that too many people [from the UK] are seeking treatment overseas,' he said. 'The NHS has made substantial progress in tackling the very longest waits for care that built up before and after the Covid-19 pandemic, but the reality is that it will be several years before national waiting list targets are routinely met again.' Patients were most likely to travel to Poland for treatment, with the NHS paying for 72 procedures to be carried out there between 2022-23 and 2024-25. This was followed by Germany (59 procedures), Italy (32), Belgium (31) and Ireland (26). But the NHS spent the most money on treatments performed in Ireland, which cost around £3.15 million over the last three years. It also spent £224,000 on NHS patients having treatment in Germany; £147,000 on treatments in Poland; £138,000 in Switzerland; £138,000 in Italy; and £134,000 in Austria. Payment figures were recorded by the NHS in the local currency and converted to pound sterling by The Telegraph based on currency exchange rates at the time of writing. Separate NHS England figures also revealed that nearly two out of every five applications (37 per cent) made by patients wanting to travel abroad for treatment were approved in 2024, up from just one in five (21 per cent) in 2022, suggesting more applications are meeting the criteria for 'undue delay'. Rachel Power, chief executive of The Patients Association, said when patients felt compelled to seek treatment abroad, it was 'a reflection of the state of the waiting lists and the very severe problems of the NHS'. Mrs Power suggested the system could worsen 'inequalities', as the scheme is only accessible to those able to work out the application process and who have the means to pay for travel and accommodation. 'To do this, you have to have the confidence and ability to navigate the system – we talk to patients all the time who can't navigate and access treatment [on the NHS],' she said. Prof Ranee Thakar, president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said the fact patients were travelling long distances for treatment was 'clear evidence that they can't access the care they need, when they need it'. She added the Government must tackle the 'critical issue' of long waits for gynaecology treatment in its upcoming NHS 10-year health plan. 'There are more than three quarters of a million women in the UK waiting for hospital gynaecology care, with serious conditions that have a devastating impact on almost every aspect of their lives,' said Prof Thakar.

The Guardian

an hour ago

• The Guardian

Uncommon holidays

Quiz: Discover your ideal destination Is your ideal break centred around switching off and connecting with nature? Or are you a culture-seeker, always on the hunt for fresh finds to feed your curiosity? Perhaps thrills and adventure are more your style? This quiz will take your holiday craving and match it to the perfect destination.

Times

2 hours ago

• Times

The new hotel drawing New York's smart set to its neighbouring state

Spring is just about to break in New Jersey's Somerset County and while the trees are still bare the sky is duck-egg blue and cloudless. Around my feet a brood of chickens peck at the mulch and in the next field a flock of sheep gather at the farm gate, anticipating breakfast. The scene could be plucked straight from Countryfile. It's almost impossible to believe that I'm just about an hour from the pulsing heart of New York City and in an entirely different state. I'm checked into the new Pendry Natirar, a historic estate turned swish hotel that's shrouded by 500 acres of grounds and parkland near the town of Peapack, all within 35 miles of Newark airport. Opened last October, the hotel is centred on an elegant Tudor-style mansion, with 68 plush guest rooms. It's a lesson in country-style luxury and it has already been drawing city slickers from the Big Apple and Philadelphia (about a 90-minute drive) looking for a bucolic escape. While the Pendry brand has hotels across the US, including in Chicago, Washington DC and San Diego, the Natirar is its debut in New Jersey. Best of all, the hotel fully leans into New Jersey's 'Garden State' nickname. The name dates from the 1800s and came about thanks to the abundant farmland and bounty of fresh produce that's all around. More than a century later it still stands up. The state has about 10,000 farms spread across some 750,000 fertile acres, and one of them is right here on the property. I wander through the Pendry Natirar's 12-acre farm with the farm manager, Melinda Hopkins. It's early March, so the vegetable patches are mostly bare — but they'll soon be rainbow bright with green as produce such as beetroot grows. There are already neat, fat rows of garlic in the ground and in the greenhouse the air is thick with the scent of rosemary and thyme. It'll all be used by the chefs at the on-site restaurant Ninety Acres. 'Farm-to-table' marketing speak is common in the States, but at Pendry Natirar it's true. There's a constant dialogue between the site's chefs and its farmers, Hopkins tells me: 'We test the crops that our chefs want — everything is seasonal and there's experimentation on both sides. The menu at Ninety Acres changes constantly.' I try the farm's cornucopia that evening. The Ninety Acres restaurant unfolds in a photogenic whirl of veined marble, exposed brick and glossy tiled floors. Dominating the space is a sprawling open kitchen, with a hearth and a brigade of chefs busying themselves over artistically plated dishes. The sun has set by the time I sit down, but if it were daylight I'd have been able to take in the lush grounds through giant floor-to-ceiling windows. The farm-fresh dishes don't disappoint. I'm greeted with hunks of wholewheat bread infused with honey from the farm and served with light-as-air butter. That's followed by a pretty beet salad finished with earthy shaved truffles and shiitake mushrooms. My main is an entire head of cauliflower doused in a rich miso puree and sprinkled with crunchy pumpkin seeds. I pair it with a buttery chardonnay from Meadowbrook Winery, a relatively young boutique winery in nearby Oldwick that focuses on estate-grown varietals. My waiter also tells me that the seasonal cooking classes offered by the hotel and restaurant are endlessly popular. Most recently it had the local chef Kathleen Sanderson teach guests how to whip up seared ribeye steaks along with shrimp cocktail shooters and roasted tomato soup. • 10 of the most beautiful places in America The next morning my culinary adventures continue at the more casual Ladd's Tavern — though the first thing I gobble up is the view. The Natirar is set on a natural ridge, with the tree-studded expanse of Natirar Park rippling beyond the hotel's borders. Ladd's Tavern's terrace fully milks the pastoral vistas and I feast on scrambled eggs fresh from the hotel's own chickens as I drink them in. The name Ladd's Tavern is significant too, tapping into the property's layered history. The local merchant and insurance mogul Walter Ladd had the Tudor-style mansion built in 1912. After Walter and his wife, Kate, died, the estate was left to the Kate Macy Ladd Fund — Kate was a philanthropist and ran a women's rehabilitation centre right on the estate. That centre outlived both the Ladds, operating until 1983 when King Hassan II of Morocco bought the property. Somerset County finally acquired it in 2003 and the site became protected county parkland. Various private developers leased the land, with Ninety Acres opening in 2009 and the Pendry Natirar finally opening in the autumn of 2024. If you wondered: Natirar is Raritan (as in the Raritan River, which runs beside the property) spelt backwards. It's a theme that runs throughout the design too. My room is a palette of muted greens, bright tans and creams, with slick mid-century-style furniture and giant grilled windows that reveal leafy views. The common areas epitomise rustic chic. The Great Room (somewhere between a lobby area and a communal living room) becomes my favourite spot for fireside pinot noir, with its dark panelled wood, stone fireplace and intricately moulded ceiling. There's also the Library, with an inviting couch and objet d'art-filled cabinetry, and the Billiard Room. • New York City, US travel guide Mother nature is front and centre at Spa Pendry too. The eucalyptus used in the steam rooms is plucked straight from the farm and more huge windows surround the pool. I stop by for an Illuminating Facial (from £178) before heading out into the grounds. Walking and biking trails strike through forested groves and along the Raritan River, and you can book a guided nature hike or rent ebikes through the hotel. I do the latter, enjoying the views and feeling the brisk March air on my cheeks. The estate's roster of activities — from biking to axe-throwing to archery to craft workshops — is enough to keep guests busy, but you'll be rewarded if you venture further afield too. Pendry Natirar is in a central position in the state. Drive an hour south and you'll be in Trenton, the museum-filled New Jersey capital. Push southeast to hit the coast, and take in jewels such as Atlantic City, with its buzzy boardwalk and casinos, or Cape May, known for its photogenic Victorian architecture. But the spoils of Somerset County should be enough to keep you busy too. Central New Jersey's horse country, filled with farms and country clubs, is right on the doorstep. In October, the Far Hills Races (a high-profile steeplechase race) is the crown jewel of the area's cultural calendar, but you can lean into country life all year round. • 10 of the best cities to visit in the US From pick-your-own farms to cideries to farmers' markets, agritourism is the region's top draw. I make a pitstop at Bluebird Farm for a meet-and-greet with some friendly alpacas, a 15-acre site in the Somerset Hills with white picket fences and a quaint red barn (from £12). The expectant herd scoff grain from the palm of my hand; the gift shop heaves with knitted accessories and stuffed animals made from alpaca fleece. As we drive on, quaint towns brimming with bakeries and bookshops break up farms and parkland. I fuel up in the little town of Basking Ridge, where the Washington House Restaurant dishes up steak, scallops and burgers (mains from £13; Then it's on to the county's other calling card: golf. Five courses are run by the Somerset County Park Commission, but even total novices (me) can enjoy the USGA Golf Museum and Library, the oldest sports museum in the US. I spend an hour or so wandering rooms filled with vintage photographs and portraits, clubs and clothing, and learn about legends from Francis Ouimet to Arnold Palmer. The Hall of Champions glitters with trophies from USGA champions past, but my highlight is the 'moon club' — the club that astronaut Alan B Shepard Jr used to hit golf balls on the surface of the moon in 1971 (£11; I get a last bite of the Garden State before heading back. This time I sit down at Red Horse by David Burke, a swish New American spot in the pocket-sized borough of Bernardsville. The decor embraces the region's equestrian heritage — with fat wooden beams and paintings of bridled horses — and the sizeable menu draws from local farms (I choose a creamy truffle-finished pasta dish, mains from £19; The final road trip back to Pendry Natirar delivers on country charm. The sun sinks behind silhouetted trees and the hotel looms large on the horizon, swaddled by the Somerset Hills. The view throws some final weight behind that Garden State nickname and I look forward to one last fireside pinot noir at the ultimate country Agate was a guest of the New Jersey Division of Travel and Tourism ( and the Pendry Natirar, which has room-only doubles from £500 ( Fly to Newark