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Company launches 'Darwin tours' Family blasts 'Darwin tour' move
(about 1 hour later)
British tourists heading to Central America are being offered the chance to trace the footsteps of convicted canoe fraudsters John and Anne Darwin. The aunt of canoe fraudster John Darwin has criticised a holiday firm over plans to take British tourists to places he visited in Central America.
The Teesside couple were jailed after John Darwin faked his own death in a canoe accident in 2002. They planned a new life in Panama. The 57-year-old and his wife Anne, 56, were jailed after John Darwin faked his own death in a canoe accident in 2002. They planned a new life in Panama.
Now a company has created a tour based on the places the Darwins visited. Journey Latin America's week-long tour takes in Panama City and Lake Gatun, where the pair planned a canoe school.
Journey Latin America's week-long trip takes in Panama City and Lake Gatun, where the pair planned a canoe school. Margaret Burns, 80, from County Durham, described the tour plan as "mad".
Laura Forsyth, marketing executive with Journey Latin America, said: "It has been reported in the media that the Darwins visited Panama City and Gatun Lake, where they hope to make a home and start up a canoe business. London-based Journey Latin America said it saw an opportunity to use the Darwin case to "make people aware" that Panama was a wonderful place.
'Wonderful place' It plans to charge people upwards of £1,400 for the holiday.
"Panama City and Gatun Lake are very popular places to visit for tourists visiting Panama. Marketing executive Laura Forsyth said: "It has been reported in the media that the Darwins visited Panama City and Gatun Lake, where they hope to make a home and start up a canoe business.
"Journey Latin America thought it would be a bit tongue-in-cheek to create an itinerary based on the places that the Darwins visited. It's a pity people don't have anything better to do with their time John Darwin's aunt Margaret Burns
"After all Panama is a beautiful country boasting tropical forests, palm fringed beaches and colonial towns. We saw an opportunity to make people aware that Panama is a wonderful place to visit." "Panama City and Gatun Lake are very popular places to visit for tourists visiting Panama. Journey Latin America thought it would be a bit tongue-in-cheek to create an itinerary based on the places that the Darwins visited.
Ms Forsyth said the company had seen a rise in inquiries about Panama holidays in recent months. "After all, Panama is a beautiful country boasting tropical forests, palm fringed beaches and colonial towns. We saw an opportunity to make people aware that Panama is a wonderful place to visit."
Tours start from about £1,400. But John Dawrin's aunt Margaret Burns, from Blackhall near Peterlee, said: "I think the whole idea is mad.
The couple, from Seaton Carew, near Hartlepool, claimed £250,000 in insurance and pension payouts after John Darwin faked his death. "It will probably go down a bomb, but I don't know why some people are so stupid.
"Why would anyone want to see a grotty flat in Panama City and some undeveloped jungle in the middle of nowhere. It's sad.
"It's a pity people don't have anything better to do with their time."
The Darwins, from Seaton Carew, near Hartlepool, claimed £250,000 in insurance and pension payouts after John Darwin faked his death.
The fraud was exposed after a 2006 photo of them with an estate agent in Panama City appeared on the internet.The fraud was exposed after a 2006 photo of them with an estate agent in Panama City appeared on the internet.