The devastated family of a Liverpool woman who died from Legionnaires' disease shortly after staying at the Feathers Hotel in Ludlow in the summer have asked solicitors to investigate the circumstances of her death.
Elaine Brown passed away aged 69 at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital on August 26th after suffering a stroke as a result of Legionnaires' disease, which emerged just days after she stayed at the hotel with her husband Graham on July 31st as part of a coach tour excursion.
The Feathers Hotel voluntarily closed after her death, prompting Public Health England (PHE) to release details of another case that emerged in April, whereby another guest had contracted the illness after staying at the same hotel. Fortunately this guest, also from Merseyside, went on to make a full recovery. The PHE investigation is on-going and their formal Outbreak Report is awaited.
Elaine's husband, Graham, said: "We went to the Feathers Hotel for a one night stay without any knowledge whatsoever that there was a deadly bacteria waiting for us. If we had been told about the case of Legionnaires' disease in April, there is absolutely no chance that we would have stayed there, and Elaine would have still been with us today.
"Nothing can possibly replace Elaine, but the hotel's management have to ensure they are doing everything they possibly can to make sure their guests are protected from avoidable illnesses like this."
Elaine's son Neil Edwards, 44, who now lives in Leeds, said: "We all miss Mum so much and it is an incredibly emotional time for the entire family. While we lived away from each other, barely a week would go by when I would not call her to catch up on things, and even now I still get the urge to pick up the phone and give her a ring. It is hard to believe she has gone.
"Our grief at this point, however, is mixed with anger, as we feel we deserve to know why the hotel was not closed following the reports of the first case of Legionnaires' disease in April. It is difficult not to believe that Mum would still be with us if action was taken earlier, and we just feel we are deserving of answers as to whether more should have been done to keep her safe.
"While nothing will ever change what has happened, we hope that by taking this action we can get the justice her incredible life deserves, whilst also ensuring that no other family has to endure the heartbreak that we are currently facing."
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