Terry Stockford, 43, travelled to Haven's Devon Cliffs Holiday Park in Exmouth with his fiancee, Jemma Higgs, 39, and two of her children for a family holiday beginning on July 13. However, the trip quickly took a turn after they were warned their caravan had an ant infestation.
Family forced to sleep in car
According to Terry, the infestation was so severe that Jemma and the children chose to sleep in the family's car while he stayed inside the caravan. The following morning, he says he awoke with around 120 bites covering his body.
“We were told there was an ant problem and not to use one of the bedrooms,” Terry said. “Jemma and the children slept in my car that night. I slept in the double bed and woke up the next morning to around 120 bed bug bites covering me from head to toe.”
He believes the children avoided the same ordeal because they did not sleep inside the caravan.
Replacement caravan also below standard
The family immediately reported the issue to reception and were moved to another caravan, while Haven also offered them a full refund. However, Terry claims their replacement accommodation was also below standard, alleging it contained stained pillows and flooring, cobwebs and damaged curtains.
Despite considering leaving the resort, the family decided to stay after the children expressed their disappointment at cutting the holiday short.
Medical treatment and forced stay
The situation worsened when Terry sought medical treatment at a local walk-in clinic. He says doctors prescribed antibiotics for the bites, but the medication left him medically unfit to drive. As he was the family's only driver, they were forced to remain at the resort beyond their planned departure date until he was able to travel home safely.
Terry also claims the severity of the bites forced him to shave off both his hair and beard just weeks before his wedding.
“It was a holiday from hell,” he said. “Me and Jemma were in tears. All we wanted to do was go home, but because I couldn't drive due to my medication, we had no choice but to stay.”
He added that a pest control technician told him he had “never seen anything like it”, while Terry says medical staff remarked they had never encountered bed bug bites of that severity during decades of practice.
Haven's response
Haven allowed the family to remain at the resort free of charge until Terry was fit to drive and provided a full refund along with £200 in on-site vouchers.
Responding to the incident, a Haven spokesperson apologised for the family's experience.
“We are deeply sorry for the issues the family experienced during their holiday with us,” the spokesperson said.
“As soon as these concerns were brought to our attention, we took immediate action to relocate the family to alternative accommodation. An independent pest control specialist has since inspected and treated the caravan. We have continued to provide a great deal of support to the family throughout their stay.”
The company confirmed that bed bugs were identified following an inspection by pest control specialists and said it acted immediately once the issue was confirmed. Haven also stated it was not aware that members of the family had spent the night sleeping in their car.
For Terry, however, the experience has left a lasting impression. He described the conditions as “disgusting” and said he has no intention of staying at a Haven holiday park again.
