HEALTH bodies have warned Scots tourists who have been to Tenerife to be wary of illness following a mass sickness bug.

The outbreak centres around a First Choice holiday resort after claims of tourists “defecating” in the hotels swimming pools.

Health Protection Scotland are now warning anyone who has been to the area and has returned home ill to seek immediate medical help and to stay away from school or work until better.

More people are expected to be affected by the illness in the coming weeks after angry holidaymakers have reported poor hygiene at the swimming pools in the Holiday Village Be live resort.

First Choice has warned it has zero tolerance towards such behaviour and said that any guests caught doing this in their hotels will be evicted.

Many children and their parents who have returned home over the last few weeks have tested positive for gastric parasite cryptosporidium after medical tests by their GPs.

The outbreak involves dozens of Brits with the youngest victim just one year old.

Nick Harris, of holiday claim specialists Simpson Millar solicitors, which is handling cases for affected Scots holidaymakers from both outbreaks, said: "This sort of behaviour is absolutely disgusting and has no place at these all inclusive resorts.  "Anyone found to be doing this should be severely punished as it exposes victims to all sorts of illness and symptoms like cryptosporidium that can last for years.

"We have been swamped with calls from Scots people  over the last few weeks who have fallen ill in the resort and are quite rightly worried about their health.  "Holiday companies need to do much more to ensure that hygiene standards are improved and holidaymakers are not subject to water borne illnesses."

Victims who have returned to Scotland  from the resort have been very sick and after laboratory tests they have since been diagnosed with cryptosporidium.

The bug is spread by victims coming in contact with contaminated water or food and is commonly associated with swimming pools. Symptoms include frequent, watery diarrhoea vomiting and stomach cramps.

A spokeswoman for Health protection Scotland confirmed local holidaymakers had been caught up in the sickness outbreak.

She said: "Health Protection Scotland are aware of nine confirmed cases of cryptosporidiosis in travellers returning to Scotland who have stayed in the resort.

"Cryptosporidiosis typically causes diarrhoea which can range from mild to severe. Symptoms usually last for one to two weeks. Individuals should contact their GP or NHS24 for advice if they develop symptoms which are not settling, are severe or if they are concerned. People with symptoms should limit contact with others and stay away form work or school until 48 hours after symptoms have stopped.”

A spokeswoman for First Choice said: "We're sorry to hear that a small number of customers staying at the Holiday Village in Tenerife have reported feeling unwell.

"As a result we are working with the hotel and local authorities who have taken the decision to close the pools while an investigation is carried out.

"We are concerned by the reports that this sickness may have been caused by the actions of other guests.

"While incidents of this nature are very rare, we take a zero tolerance approach to this type of behaviour and anybody found to be doing this deliberately will be asked to leave the hotel.

"For customers currently in the resort we would like to apologise once again for the inconvenience and we have arranged compensation."