Travel company TUI has refunded a couple the entire cost of their holiday to Jamaica after hotel staff created an effigy of their dead son and laid it on a bed with a cake.
Faye and Andrew Stephens have visited Jamaica for their son Alex’s birthday every year following his death in 2014.
Alex’s godmother Karen Baker who was also on the trip had asked staff at the Royalton Jamaica Resort to decorate the couple’s room with balloons and a cake but was horrified to find that they had made an effigy of him out of clothes.
Ms Baker told the BBC: “Staff had gone through my friend’s wardrobe and stuffed the clothes with towels to make it look like a body on the bed. They even put tears down the face and a can of lager in his hand.
"I was absolutely horrified - as you can imagine I was sweating and shaking. We just didn't want our friends to see it.
"I have truly never seen anything like it. I still look at the photographs now and can't believe somebody thought to do that."
Petals on the bed also spelled out “we miss you Alex.”
After raising the issue with the BBC, the family received a full refund of £1,300 per person for the five-star holiday.
He was described as a promising footballer and had been playing for AFC Wembley.
Mr Stephens’ cousin Darren Joseph, 32, said he “would do anything for his family and friends. He was such an integral part of people’s lives. His niece and nephew and younger cousins and many others looked up to him as a role model.”
TUI has been contacted for comment.
