Firm sued over holiday accident

The Ayia Napa resort was described as "rowdy"

A father-of-three who was paralysed in a swimming pool accident while on holiday in Cyprus is claiming damages from a travel agent.

Balram Singh, now 31, of Stoke Newington, north London, broke his neck when he dived into the shallow end of the pool at his hotel in the resort of Ayia Napa in July 1998.

He was left tetraplegic by the accident at the Christabelle Apartments where he was staying with a group of 11 male friends and relatives.

On Monday, Mr Singh began a High Court action for damages against Libra Holidays Ltd (trading as Priceright Holidays) - the agency through which he booked the holiday.

It was something of a lads' holiday away and they took it in Ayia Napa

Alan Saggerson Barrister

The package holiday company is contesting liability, arguing that the "tragic" accident was wholly the fault of Mr Singh, who it alleges had been drinking.

Mr Singh's barrister, Alan Saggerson, detailed the case against Libra.

He said: "On 18 July 1998... Mr Singh, in the early part of the morning, dived into the shallow end of the hotel swimming pool where he and his party were staying.

'Larking about'

"As a result of that dive he hit his head on the bottom of the pool, broke his neck and was rendered tetraplegic."

He told the judge: "The ladies had stayed at home.

"It was something of a lads' holiday away and they took it in Ayia Napa, which is a lively and, according to some accounts, a rowdy, nightclub, party-type resort well-known in Cyprus as being attractive to young people."

Mr Singh's claim includes criticisms of lack of supervision at the pool and "inadequate" signs.

Mr Saggerson said there was a culture of "horseplay or larking about" in the vicinity of the pool that was tolerated by the hotel management.

The case is expected to last five days.