Hotel worker almost trampled as tourists 'stampede' to get best sun beds

A hotel worker was almost trampled by a ‘stampede’ of guests rushing to secure the best poolside sun beds.

Shocking footage showed the security guard unlocking the gate before dropping his keycard. He was almost knocked over by clambering holidaymakers as he tried to retrieve the card before retreating to safety.

The clip was captured at the four-star Spring Bitacora hotel in Tenerife. Liam Pourhana and his friend, Paul Nygaard, had front-row seats to the shocking scene. The 34-year-old duo managed to get to the front of the queue by getting to the pool at 6:30 a.m.

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Have you been swept up in a sunbed battle? We'd love to hear your war stories. Email webtravel@reachplc.com

Despite the area only opening at 8am, Liam said that over 100 people were waiting to get in. The pair of engineers from South Shields, Tyne and Wear, grabbed their loungers before watching the chaos unfold on Sunday (20 Jul).

“After paying £5,000 to stay here, it’s a joke getting up earlier than you would for work,” Liam told Luxury Travel Daily. “If you don’t get up and get in the queue, you’re not getting a sunbed. You have to queue from 6:30am, despite the pool gate not opening until 8am.

“About 100 people rushed towards the beds, some were even throwing towels over people's shoulders to beat them. The security guard dropped his card and didn’t want to risk the stampede.”

There are few things that have to power to wind-up queue-loving Brits more than sunbed hogging. Recently a woman decided to step in and stop the unfolding injustice from taking place.

The group of irate holidaymakers thwarted a cunning plan by fellow Brits to bag sunbeds seven hours before their hotel pool opened on a recent Spain holiday.

While having a late-night chinwag on their balcony, Mandy Boyd spotted some lads she thought were having a cheeky swim in the pool. But upon closer inspection, the 34-year-old realised the young men were trying to nab the best beds at 2am, despite the fact that the pool wasn't due to open until 9am the next day.

The quartet of girls watched as the lads dragged out their sunloungers to try and secure prime spots. Mandy and her mates patiently waited on the balcony for the perfect moment to dash down and swipe the towels.

The comical sunbed wars sabotage took place around 2am at the Aquasol Aparthotel, Palmanova, near Magaluf, Spain.

Joined by her mate, Sally Willows, the pair dashed down to the pool and swiftly grabbed the towels. "We're just doing the Lord's work," Mandy from Bridgend, South Wales, said.

"I can't stand it when people reserve sunbeds and don't use them all day. I find it really inconsiderate. It was shocking to see them reserving beds at 2am, especially when there was no chance of those lads being up to enjoy them. We kept the towels, but made sure we left them where they would find them."