Brit tourist gets free quadbike trip as hotel room stinks, then suffers horror crash

A free quadbiking trip ended in carnage after a Brit holidaymaker crashed the vehicle -leaving him with life-changing injuries.

Tony Holliday, 57, had been offered the trip free of charge after his luggage went missing and the two hotel rooms he booked in Sal, Cape Verde stank of sewage. The family accepted the complimentary trip after resort staff assured them it was "suitable for beginners" and provided by a reputable company.

However, they claim the gentle ride they were expected involvedriding over steep and dusty mountainous terrainwith very little instructions or guidance. It wasn't until Tony was on the descent down a volcanic trail that he noticed his brakes had stopped working, causing him to lose control and smash into a rock catapulting him into the air.

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The dad of three suffered a severely fractured right leg and sustained a head injury along with a shoulder injury - he also now suffers from PTSD.

Tony is now taking legal action claiming the holiday company misrepresented the excursion and did not disclose the trip would, in fact, be provided by their local supplier.

Tony, from Cockermouth, in Cumbria, said: “I trusted the assurances that were given to us by the holiday firm representatives, that this was a safe and beginner friendly quadbike excursion, not the 'four-hour adrenaline-fueled off-road adventure' that I later learnt was being promoted.'

"If I had experienced even a glimmer of doubt about the safety of the trip, I would never have put myself, my wife and two of my daughters at risk... I trusted the company and thought we were safe.”

Tony, a property developer, travelled with his wife Bev and two daughters Keeley and Rhianna to the stunning island in March 2023. He has told how the trip got off to a disappointing start after the family's luggage got lost at the airport and their allocated hotel rooms smelled strongly of sewage.

That's when resort staff offered the family the complimentary quad biking excursion which ended with Tony suffering horrific injuries. The dad was repatriated back to the UK where he underwent emergency surgery which saved his leg.

The injuries have significantly impacted his life - he has ongoing pain and mobility difficulties which has affected his work as he is no longer able to do the heavy jobs. Following the crash Tony’s travel insurance provider would not cover the cost of his medical treatment and repatriation, as quadbiking is considered a “hazardous” activity.

Tony is now taking legal action supported by international injury lawyer Chris Deacon from the law firm, Stewarts. Stewarts' claim argues the company misrepresented the nature of the excursion and did not disclose the excursion would, in fact, be provided by a local supplier.

Their claim alleges the holiday company is liable for the unsafe nature of the excursion, including an inappropriate route, lack of instruction and a defective quadbike.

Chris Deacon said: “Sadly every year I see cases like Tony’s of people sustaining serious life-changing injuries on holiday excursions... One of the key factors which influences whether a person can bring a compensation claim for their injuries is how the excursion booked.

"This is because booking your excursion through your tour operator as part of your package holiday brings with it certain protections under the Package Travel Regulations.

"If you book through a small, local provider, there is a risk they won’t be insured, fully or at all, with no safeguard that the tour operator may have risk assessed the provider or activity, and the added complication of potentially having to bring your legal case in a foreign jurisdiction.”

“What is also worth knowing is that many travel insurance policies exclude high risk activities such as quad biking, parachuting, bungee jumping and certain watersports.

"So even if you have travel insurance, don’t assume it will cover you for everything.”

Chris also claims that tour operators are profiting significantly from these activities and should take greater precautions in ensuring the welfare of the customers they are selling them to.