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CostaBlancaPeople 7th - 13th August
SUSPECTED PESTICIDE POISONING PUTS TEENAGER ON LIFE SUPPORT A British teenager was left in a coma on family holiday in Orihuela Costa after it is believed he was poisoned by cockroach pesticide. Callum Forster, 17, and his stepdad Jamie Hadland, 24, were both struck down after the family enjoyed a night out. The family had been to a bar after meeting friends in Villamartin, where the family have been staying with Callum’s grandma Barbara Burks who lives here. Shortly after getting home Jamie started feeling really strange. Then Callum, who is hoping to start work as an electrical apprentice this September, became ill and was shaking uncontrollably before going into a fit. He had several seizures before the ambulance arrived. The pair were both put into intensive care on Friday, 20th July. They were heavily sedated to avoid seizures, and by the Monday Jamie was well enough to be discharged.
However, Callum remains seriously ill, with tests showing both men had strong pesticide in their bloodstreams. It is not known how they came to swallow the poison. Callum has now been taken off life support but remains on the critical ward. Callum’s mum told an English newspaper: “It's just been an absolute nightmare. It's one step forwards and two steps back. Callum doesn't know what's going on and he's in a foreign hospital. The doctors and nurses have been brilliant and he couldn't be in a better hospital. "However, he is very confused and is struggling to answer questions, we don't know what impact the seizures have had on him yet. "We've been told the recovery could take weeks or months. We just have no idea." The family, from Leeds, West Yorks., are being helped by the British Embassy and the cause of the illness is
being investigated. Friends of the family have launched a crowdfunding appeal which has so far raised more than £2,600. Jayne Rapier, who set up the page, wrote: 'We have put this page together to ask all their friends and family to help raise funds to make this ordeal a little easier and support them and enable them to stay with Callum until he is well enough to come home. 'Everyone that knows the family know how great they all are and they have had a lot of positive vibes and kind words from all these people in the last few days, I hope we can continue to support them by showing our love with a little fundraising.' Callum’s Mum Helen Forster, 36, and younger brother Brandon, 12 along with Step-Dad Jamie, are staying in Spain to be at Callum’s side and will stay until he is well enough to travel home.
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