This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-32835029
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 0 | Version 1 |
---|---|
Thomas Cook give Corfu family 'financial gesture of goodwill' | |
(34 minutes later) | |
The family of two children killed on a Thomas Cook holiday in Corfu will receive a "financial gesture of goodwill" from the firm. | |
Christi and Bobby Shepherd were poisoned by carbon monoxide at the Louis Corcyra Beach Hotel in 2006. | Christi and Bobby Shepherd were poisoned by carbon monoxide at the Louis Corcyra Beach Hotel in 2006. |
Their parents, Sharon Wood and Neil Shepherd, met the tour operator's chief executive Peter Fankhauser earlier. | Their parents, Sharon Wood and Neil Shepherd, met the tour operator's chief executive Peter Fankhauser earlier. |
Speaking at a press conference, Mrs Wood said she accepted it "may be time to look to the future". | |
The amount of money being given to the family was not disclosed, but Mr Shepherd said they planned to make donations to a series of charities. | |
Thomas Cook has also agreed the bungalow where the children died be demolished and turned into a playground in their memory. | |
"Nothing can give us back our children and the carefree lives we once led," Mrs Wood said. | |
"I hope Thomas Cook and everyone who defended its wrong-doing now realise the impact on families like ours and they will learn the lessons they need to learn from this tragedy." | "I hope Thomas Cook and everyone who defended its wrong-doing now realise the impact on families like ours and they will learn the lessons they need to learn from this tragedy." |
'Unlawfully killed' | |
Christi and Bobby, from Horbury, near Wakefield, were on holiday with Mr Shepherd and his now wife, Ruth, when they died. | |
It was later discovered they were overcome by fumes from a faulty boiler. | |
A criminal trial held in Greece in 2010 cleared Thomas Cook of any responsibility and awarded the firm damages against the hotel's owner. | |
But an inquest jury ruled last week the children had been unlawfully killed and said the tour operator had "breached its duty of care". | |
Mr Shepherd and Mrs Wood criticised the firm for not apologising to them directly during the two-week hearing. | |
Mr Fankhauser made a public apology on Wednesday and admitted the firm "could have done better in the past nine years" in the way they had responded to the tragedy. | Mr Fankhauser made a public apology on Wednesday and admitted the firm "could have done better in the past nine years" in the way they had responded to the tragedy. |
The company has donated half its £3m payout from its insurers to children's charity Unicef. |