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A British family has been awarded £9,400 in compensation after they fell seriously ill at a Greek resort where raw sewage leaked into baby pools and the kitchen area was infested with rats.

Mum-of-two Tarina Phillips and three other family members were forced to seek medical treatment during their holiday at the Corfu Sea Gardens hotel in September 2013.

The 39-year-old nurse said the family, from Kent, visited the picturesque island in the Ionian Sea for a relaxing getaway, but the holiday was ruined by illness just a few days after their arrival.

Tarina Phillips, son Jake and their one-year-old daughter fell ill during a holiday in Greece

Tarina's 19-year-old son, Jake, was taken to hospital by ambulance after complaining of serious stomach cramps and had to pay nearly £100 for the 2.5-hour taxi journey back to the hotel.

Her 37-year-old husband, Patrick, a landscape gardener, sought treatment from an on-site doctor as his condition worsened.

He received intravenous fluids and antibiotics in an attempt to control his symptoms.

Their two-year-old daughter, Isabella, who was one at the time, was affected by 'severe' weight loss during their stay at the hotel, according to their law firm.

Tarina said: 'We all started getting symptoms within the first few days and the illness lasted throughout our stay so much so my daughter had lost a significant amount of weight.

'My husband was hit the hardest. He spent almost all of his time in the hotel room.' 

Tarina Phillips' husband, Patrick, was placed on an IV drip and their daughter lost weight after falling ill

The family, who booked with tour operator Thomas Cook, said food appeared to be constantly re-served throughout the day and was often cold or undercooked.

They said the hotel's restaurants were infested with flies and the kitchen areas attracted rats, while raw sewage was seen leaking into a baby pool which shares the same filter as the main pool.

When hotel staff were informed, the pools were not closed or even cleaned, the family claimed.

Back in Britain, Tarina hired solicitors with Your Holiday Claims, a division of Farnworth Rose in Lancashire, to pursue a claim against Thomas Cook.

The family members received a combined payout of more than £9,000 in a settlement that was reached out of court.

In their claim, the family said raw sewage leaked into pools, which staff failed to clean despite complaints

While she was satisfied with the settlement, Tarina said the experience has made the family fearful of all-inclusive holidays.

Tarina told MailOnline Travel: 'It put us off wanting to go abroad ever again.

'We've been abroad several times and have been to some really nice places … and then when we went to Corfu I couldn't believe the difference.' 

Anne Thomson, head of travel law at Your Holiday Claims, said: 'It is always concerning to hear of a family contracting such an illness on holiday. It can be an incredibly distressing experience for a family.

'When food is served undercooked or swimming pool water becomes contaminated, holidaymakers are placed at serious risk of illness.

'It is vital that all tour operators and hotel management ensure that high standards of food and hygiene are maintained at all times in order to prevent such outbreaks of illness from occurring.'

The island of Corfu is a popular destination for British tourists thanks to its clear waters and sandy beaches

In recent months, the law firm has helped 16 holidaymakers to obtain compensation after illness spoilt family holidays at the Corfu Sea Gardens hotel.

The tourists affected by the outbreaks have received a combined total of more than £30,000 in compensation.

In a statement, Thomas Cook said: 'Thomas Cook is sorry that the Phillips family fell ill while on holiday at the Corfu Sea Gardens hotel in Greece in September 2013. We can confirm we have reached an agreement with their legal representatives.

'We would like to assure customers that incidents of this type are rare, as Thomas Cook closely audits all the properties to which it operates to ensure that only the very highest hygiene standards are maintained.

'We would kindly ask any customers who may have concerns relating to their holiday to contact us directly and as quickly as possible so that we can deal with them personally in an open, honest and fair manner.'