NI children in care in Portugal

The couple, from County Londonderry, were staying in this hotel

A County Londonderry couple on holiday in Portugal have had their three young children temporarily taken into care.

Staff at the Aparthotel Mourabel in the Algarve called police after Eamon McGuckin, 34, and his wife Antoinette, 32, allegedly passed out.

It is understood the Upperlands couple had been out drinking on Friday night.

A local court decided to return the children - aged six, two and one - to their parents but a specialised children's court is yet to rule.

The children were taken to a children's home in Faro, while their mother and father were treated at a health centre in Loule.

The couple have not commented on the incident, but the director of the home where their children were looked after described it as "shocking".

"It is the first time it has happened in my 22 years working at this home," said Dr Luis Villas-Boas.

"It's normal for a couple for one to drink while the other doesn't drink. The problem here is they were both passed out.

"It was extreme neglect and abandonment. I hope somebody carries this information to the UK so these parents can at least be seen because these children are indeed at risk."

Dr Luis Villas-Boas said his children's home was called shortly after midnight on Friday and asked to provide emergency shelter for the youngsters.

'Out cold'

A spokesman for the local police said they were contacted by hotel staff at 2200 local time because "the children were crying and they could not revive the parents, who were both out cold".

He said: "We arrived to assess the situation and called the INEM (Portugal's national medical emergency service) as the parents were unconscious, and they were taken to hospital.

"We called the social services. We looked after the children until the social services arrived and they took them away."