A Dublin woman who was bitten on her face and neck by a large rat as she slept in a Tunisian holiday hotel has settled her claim with two travel firms.
The first that Fidelma Allen knew she was not alone in her bed was when her daughter, Sarah, screamed when she saw the rat on her mum's bed.
Mrs Allen(57), of Knocknashee, Goatstown, Dublin, had claimed €38,000 in damages against holiday firms Budget Travel and Sunway Travel.
Following talks between barristers Rossa Fanning, for Mrs Allen, and David Richardson, for the defendants, the Circuit Civil Court heard the case had been settled for an undisclosed sum.
Public court documents revealed that in the early hours of August 11th, 2004, Mrs Allen had been awakened by a slight pinch to her forehead which she had disregarded and had gone back to sleep.
Her claim stated she had later felt a sharper pinch to the back of her neck and had screamed out.
This had awakened her daughter, Sarah, who had told her mother she must be having a nightmare. Seconds later, Sarah had screamed when she had seen a large rat on the top of her mother's bed.
Mrs Allen claimed the rat had bitten her on the forehead and on the back of her neck.
The couple had been on a week-long holiday to the Bel Air Hotel, in Hammamet, Tunisia, and Mrs Allen had sought medical treatment both in Hammamet and when she returned home
Judge Jacqueline Linnane was told the case had been settled and, by consent, struck out Mrs Allen's claim with an order for costs in her favour against both Budget Travel Ltd, Lower Baggot Street, Dublin, and Sunway Travel Ltd, Marina House,
Claremont Street, Dunlaoghaire, Do Dublin.