A WOMAN from Westhoughton has died and two have been taken into intensive care following a pensioners' holiday to Benidorm.

The three were among a party of six elderly women from Westhoughton who spent two weeks in the Spanish resort.

All were struck down by a mystery illness during the last week.

It is believed that Ann Horrocks from Park Road was rushed into intensive care in Benidorm on the last night of the two-week break. She is still in hospital in Spain.

And Elsie Ord, from Old Hall Lane, was taken ill on holiday and died after returning home in the Royal Bolton Hospital last week. She was in her mid 70s. Friends said she had seemed to be making a good recovery when she had a relapse.

Ann Aldred, aged 80, from James Street, Daisy Hill, was also rushed to the Royal Bolton Hospital days after returning to the UK.

The other women on the trip were: Margaret Davies, 68, of Tithebarne Street; Edna Rothwell, 73, of Upper Lees Drive; and Isabel Fisher, 80, from Hollinacre. All the women, who are members of the Friendship Club which meets at Carnegie Hall, are in their 70s and 80s.

Mrs Fisher told the BEN today that all six of the party had been hit by the mystery bug during the last week of their holiday.

"I've had nightmares since," she said. "We were all coughing."

Tests are underway to find out how the women fell ill, amid fears that they maay have been infected by a Legionnaire's Disease type of bug.

But Dr Robert Aston, consultant in communicable disease control with Wigan and Bolton Health Authority, said no conclusions could yet be drawn from the tests.

Legionnaire's Disease is rare in this country, although in 1988 Bolton experienced one of the worst outbreaks ever at British Aerospace, Lostock, when 66 people were affected. In recent years, there have been several outbreaks in holiday resorts abroad.

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