A borough family have shared their "disgust" and raised safety concerns after being hit by an outbreak of illness on a cruise holiday.

Ben, 35, and Amy Green, 36, boarded a 14-day P&O Mediterranean cruise on the Arvia ship from Southampton on Sunday, May 26 with their children, Sienna, eight, and Ruben, six.

The family from Horwich enjoyed their first stop in La Caruna in Spain but after their second stop in Palma Mallorca, the family’s dream holiday took a turn for the worse.

A child was reportedly vomiting while waiting in the port queue, and Amy believes the mum’s call for help was "ignored".

Following this, an outbreak of digestive system illness, gastroenteritis, started on the ship, leaving many families falling ill and isolating in their rooms, which Amy said are not clean with contaminated sick bowls.

Sienna and Ruben then both became sick.

P&O has apologised after being told about the family's experience but said "all guests were provided with an advisory notice with precautionary health measures for on board and on shore, as is standard procedure across our fleet".

The firm also pointed out that there has been a rise in gastrointestinal cases across the UK.

(Image: Amy Green)

On Thursday, June 5, Amy said: “Considering there’s an outbreak of gastroenteritis on board, it is careless to leave us in a room for that long.

“I informed officers that my son can become very ill with gastroenteritis due to a recent diagnosis of ketotic hypoglycaemia (a low blood sugar condition), but we were ignored and told to wait in line.

“My daughter's vomit remains splashed up the walls, my son’s vomit is on the carpet.

“Cardboard sick bowls were wiped out ready for us to use again, and we were asked if the vomit-stained bedding was ’OK or needed changing’ and we had to ask repeatedly for water, sick bags and tissues.”

(Image: Amy Green)

Amy said: “We’re disgusted with the state of the ship.

“And we’ve holidayed so many times with P&O and never had this problem.

“I feel let down and the lack of communication has been disappointing.

“I don’t feel safe, as no-one understands Ruben’s condition like his consultant at home.

“I don’t trust food, or the cleanliness of the shop and I want to come home.”

The Green family also said P&O has not been helpful in listening to concerns about their son's condition.

Amy said Ruben collapsed for a short time during the holiday the family have forked out £500 on treatment on-board and are running out of his blood sugar testing equipment and emergency glucose treatment.

But the family are now on the way to feeling better and hoping to enjoy their final days on holiday, until they return home on Sunday, June 9.

A spokesman for P&O Cruises said: “We are very sorry to hear about this as clearly this is not what we would want for any of our guests on holiday.

The familyThe family (Image: Amy Green)

“Upon embarkation all guests were provided with an advisory notice with precautionary health measures for on board and on shore, as is standard procedure across our fleet.

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“P&O Cruises has extensive, enhanced, and proven sanitisation protocols to uphold the wellbeing of everyone onboard and these are approved by the relevant national and global authorities.

“While isolating those guests with symptoms is part of our approved protocols there is 24-hour access to the medical centre on board should it be necessary, and it can also provide any required medication or tests.

“It is important to note the UK Health Security Agency has reported of a current increase in gastrointestinal cases across the UK as a whole which are closing schools and hospitals.”