Ludlow hotel Legionnaires disease death: Son pays tribute to mother after tragedy
A son has paid tribute to his mother after she died from a disease contracted at a Shropshire hotel.
Elaine Brown, of Stonecroft in Merseyside, stayed at The Feathers Hotel in Ludlow with her husband in July.
It was discovered earlier this month that her death, and the illness of another lady, who recovered, has been related to Legionnaires’ disease being found at the hotel.
Laboratory test results have established links between Legionella bacteria found in water samples from the hotel plumbing, and the two separate confirmed cases of Legionnaires’ disease in the guests, both from Merseyside, who stayed at the hotel.
The hotel will be shut for several months as work takes place to eradicate the problem.
Mrs Brown’s son, Neil Edwards, says the death had hit the family hard.
He said: “I never got to say a proper goodbye to her.
“I visited her when she wasn’t conscious, and we did not think she was going to die.
“We were told she was getting better and making a recovery, and she was due to be taken out of the critical care unit.”
He said he had many fond memories of his mother, who was an avid reader.
He said: "She adored history, and the greatest of many gifts she gave to me was a love of books, particularly non-fiction.
“My last Christmas present to her was a signed copy of Simon Sebag Montefiore’s ‘The Romanovs’ which she was just close to finishing when she died.
“It pains me that she didn’t finish it as I’d listened to, and loved, the audiobook, and couldn’t wait to get her take on it.”
Tests found the Legionella bacteria in water samples from the hotel’s plumbing system. Another guest also contracted the disease after staying at the hotel in April.
The hotel is an historic inn that was constructed back in 1619, and is known as of Ludlow’s best known listed buildings.
Mr Edwards says there needs to be answers if someone is responsible.
He added: "We are not a family to say someone needs to be answerable to this, but if there is someone responsible then they are responsible. It is just a big tragedy.”
Early symptoms of Legionnaire’s disease include a ‘flu-like’ illness.
The bacteria is widely distributed in the environment and can be found in hot and cold water systems.
Professor Rod Thomson, Director for Public Health, Shropshire Council said: “The council, working closely with PHE, regularly meet with the hotel management to discuss the progress of the work and potential re-opening plans. The hotel however, will not re-open until this work has been completed to a satisfactory standard.”
