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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
National
Alice Suffield & Ramazani Mwamba

Mum and daughter, 7, flee 'freezing cold' hotel in middle of night due to stained sheets and bed bug

A mum says had to abandon a 'freezing' hotel room in the middle of the night with her daughter after they found a bed bug and stained sheets. Chantelle Murray and her seven-year-old daughter Lacey lasted less than an hour in their room which she says also had no running water.

Last week the mum from Glasgow had visited Blackpool for a dance competition which her daughter Lacey was involved in. Chantelle had also travelled down with her two sisters and had booked a four night stay at the North Ocean Hotel in North Shore.

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According to Chantelle the windows in her room didn't close properly, leaving her and Lacey in the freezing cold. She also claimed to have found a bedbug as well as alleged blood stains on the pillow and urine stains on the mattress.

Chantelle says they found a bed bug (Chantelle Murray)

Chantelle told LancsLive: "We arrived in Blackpool on the Thursday at around tea time. It took four trains to get from Glasgow to Blackpool so we went straight to the hotel to drop our bags and get some food.

"When we arrived there were no staff available at hotel, meaning we had to call to find out room number and key we were advised staff would be back in at seven to sort out admittance to property. So we dropped off bags to the hotel and went to get food as we had been travelling all day."

Suspected urine stains on the bed (Chantelle Murray)

After coming back from getting something to eat, the family went to settle down for the night. Chantelle says they spent less than an hour in the room because of all of the issues they found.

"When we looked around the room, we found that the bathroom sink had no running water. The windows were jammed open, meaning there was snow blowing into the room from outside. There were two electric heaters in the room, but one was missing a plug and the other did not work.

"So we pulled back the sheets we found one live bed bug and large urine stains. The pillows had blood stains and blood was on the wall behind a set of drawers. The side of the cabinet had dust that was thick on the walls as if it had never been cleaned.

"We actually booked an extra night because my little girl isn't a good traveller so we did it so she could have a night to rest and chill before the competition the next day."

Suspected blood stains on the pillow (Chantelle Murray)

Chantelle said her daughter was "absolutely bawling her eyes out crying, she just wanted to go home". She said: "She started dancing two years ago and it's her whole life, her dance teachers are her best friends she dances five nights a week but she just doesn't ever want to come back again.

"I think the whole fiasco of the first night has scarred her. She cried her eyes out all weekend.

A spokesperson for North Ocean Hotel said: "We are aware of the following compliant and it has been followed up with the booking company as well as the guest . The complaints made all appear to be untrue and unjustified. We have central heating and in the rooms we provide electric heaters as well as we know it can be cold sometimes .

"There are no bed bugs and this has been verified by a council approved pest control service. The fire alarm is always working and is tested regularly (weekly) and this has also been checked this week following the complaint made by the guest.

"The health and safety team from Blackpool Council did follow up on the complaint made by these guest this morning and have found no evidence of there comments to be justifiable. It’s for that reason we have politely declined a refund for the guest as there is no cause to do so."

Booking.com have told LancsLive that they are looking in to the complaint.

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