After eight days in hospital, Greta was transported back to the UK for treatment with Williams in an air ambulance which their £106 travel insurance policy covered.
“They [the pilots and medics] told me it cost €50,000 just for the flight. That was quite scary, £106 paid for that. Anything can happen.”
Williams said Jet2, which sold them the package holiday, waived the cost of changing Len and Eiry-ana’s flights back to the UK.
Greta was admitted to The Grange University Hospital in Cwmbran and had physiotherapy, and will find out on 2 September whether she can return to school.
“We can’t do anything until that assessment. It’s strict bedrest at the minute.
“She’s not allowed to do much, she’s not allowed to walk loads or do much which is a massive shame. Her friends have been fantastic.”
Williams added: “She was petrified when it happened. All she wanted was reassurance from me. We tried to keep it as positive as we could in the circumstances.
“She was phenomenally strong. I’m so proud of how she coped.”
“This is something that’s going to haunt us forever,” added Williams.
“It’s going to take a long time to get over it all. We need normality to hit first, as we’re in the summer holidays, before we can process it properly.
“You can see the accident has impacted them, and being in a foreign country has escalated their fears.
“We were trying to fill it in with so many experiences and memories as possible to make it fun-filled.
“They don’t want to go on holiday ever again. We’re going to try and take them somewhere – probably not on an excursion – to ease their mind. It was a one-off freak accident, and these things don’t generally happen.”
Graeme Buck from the Association of British Travel Agents said travel insurance was “one of the must-haves whenever you travel overseas”.
“While most holidays go ahead without any problems, accidents and unexpected events can happen, and the costs of medical treatment and getting home can be significant.
“Cheap isn’t always the best, and it’s important not to choose a policy based on price alone. Holidaymakers should check what their policy covers and make sure they have comprehensive cover that is appropriate for their trip, including any activities they plan to take part in, such as winter sports.”
