A British holidaymaker has sparked controversy by secretly sprinkling itching powder on towels left on poolside loungers by guests who reserved them before sunrise. Tom Caunce, 31, from Southport, took matters into his own hands during a family holiday in Majorca, targeting what he called 'repeat offenders' who claimed prime spots and then disappeared for hours.
Prank captured on video
Caunce filmed the prank and shared the footage online, where it amassed hundreds of thousands of views. He claimed the frustration of trying to get a sunbed drove him to act. 'I think we’ve all experienced the frustration of trying to get a sunbed on holiday,' he said. 'Many of us have accepted the 6am wake-up call just to have a chance of getting a decent spot.'
On his last holiday, Caunce decided on 'playful payback'. He spent the first few days observing guests who repeatedly claimed the same loungers each morning before leaving. His first target was a woman in her late 40s, who with her husband reserved the same beds daily despite spending little time by the pool. Caunce attempted a quick 'walk-by sprinkle' of itching powder onto one of their towels, but the woman changed the towel immediately.
Second attempt succeeds
Undeterred, Caunce returned the next morning with a new plan. He spotted another couple heading for the same loungers they had used the previous day. He sneaked downstairs, rubbed itching powder into one of the white hotel towels, and waited for the pair to return. At first, he thought the prank had failed when the man brought another towel, but moments later the scratching began. After a few minutes, the man jumped into the pool. The situation escalated when he later used the white towel to dry himself, turning a small irritation into a full-body scratch. Caunce said the holidaymaker eventually gave up sunbathing and spent the rest of the afternoon under an umbrella.
Online reaction divided
The videos were viewed a combined 864,000 times and attracted more than 13,000 likes. Social media users were split: one person called it 'incredibly strange', another said 'It’s not ok to do this. Remove towels, yes, but this no,' while a third praised it as 'Absolute genius, thank you for your service.'
