Gas death parents' tearful call for better safety standards
The family of two children who died of carbon monoxide poisoning in Corfu have called on tour operators to tighten up safety procedures.
Christi Shepherd, seven, and her six-year-old brother Bobby were overcome by poisonous fumes from a faulty boiler as they slept.
The children's father Neil Shepherd and his partner Ruth Beatson were also affected in the incident in October.
Today, Paul Wood, husband of Sharon Wood, the children's mother, said at a news conference in the House of Lords: "The deaths of Christi and Bobby were not an accident and should never have happened.
"We hope that we can contribute to pushing the holiday industry into providing at least a standard level of safety that will allow holidaymakers to be confident they will wake up in the morning."
Mr Wood said they understood that British tour operators' guidelines state that boilers only have to be inspected once every three years.
He said this was "simply not good enough" and the family also wanted carbon monoxide detectors provided. Charities and campaigners have joined the family to launch carbon monoxide awareness day.
