Children left vomiting and with explosive diarrhorea after visiting petting zoo
A petting zoo faces dozens of lawsuits after visitors were infected by animal parasites when touching animals.
Parents and children as young as one were left with diarrhoea, vomiting and stomach cramps following trips to Gannow Farm in Worcestershire last month.
The site offers chances to pet and cuddle lambs and calves, though it’s not clear which animals were carrying the bug.
Most are believed to have caught cryptosporidium, a microscopic parasite which does not typically cause severe illness but can lead to long-term illness in children.
Several young visitors were hospitalised and, while all have been discharged, some were still poorly long after their trip.
They include 14-year-old Sophie Enright from Birmingham, who fears her exam results will suffer as she has still not fully recovered.
Her mum Emma said: ‘She’s like another girl after what has been a frightening and uncertain experience.
‘Having visited the doctors, she just never seemed to improve and as the weight fell off her, we became really concerned.
‘We thought it was just a bug that would clear up but when they said it was cryptosporidium, terrible thoughts go through your mind.
‘Sophie still isn’t well and she was devastated to have missed school in the run up to her mock exams and as suffered with her mental health as a result.
‘Our focus has been on seeing Sophie make a full recovery but given all of the people who’ve been so ill, I think there are questions to answer.’
Another child who suffered a lengthy illness is nine-year-old Sienna-Mai Southern, who was sick for more than three weeks after visiting with her parents and three-year-old sister Darcie, who also became unwell.
Her mum Danielle said late last month: ‘When the girls fell ill, it was a huge concern and we’re all continuing to live with the effects weeks later.
‘Darcie now feels well in herself but it was obvious Sienna-Mai was badly affected.
‘I knew she wasn’t well but it was such a shock to have to go to hospital. Even now, Sienna-Mai isn’t her usual self.
‘It’s been a really traumatic experience for her and it has really hit her confidence for six, not only that, she’s not been able to compete in her sport.
‘I think a lot of the families like us just want some answers at this point.
‘We’ve been told illnesses like this can be serious and we don’t want others to go through what we have.’
The farm closed itself to visitors after the cases came to light in early April and has remained shut since.
More than 80 people have contacted lawyers asking for their cases to be investigated, and the farm is under investigation by the UK Health Security Agency and Wychavon District Council.
In a statement issued when it shut, Gannow Farm said: ‘This is a decision taken by the team and not by governing bodies however we are working closely with them as always.
‘We would like to wish anyone that is poorly a speedy recovery.’
Jatinder Paul of Irwin Mitchell, the law firm representing affected families, said: ‘Since being initially approached by 20 people who had fallen seriously ill following visits to Gannow Farm, it’s deeply concerning that over 80 people have now come forward, all with similar stories to tell of being diagnosed with cryptosporidium following their visit.
‘Cryptosporidium is known to cause gastrointestinal illness and can be a serious condition for many vulnerable groups, including children and older people.
‘A type of microscopic parasite, cryptosporidium can cause illness in both humans and animals alike.
‘It’s vital that people take the proper precautions to protect themselves and their families from the risk of infection.
‘While welcome that the UK Health Security Agency is investigating, we’re committed to supporting our clients through what has been a terrible ordeal and securing for them the answers they deserve.
‘If during the case of our investigations any issues are identified, it’s vital that lessons are learned to improve public safety.’
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