Mother blames Thomas Cook for children’s gas poisoning

The mother of two children who died when they were poisoned on holiday in Corfu today told a court how she was "forever left in pain".

Sharon Wood blamed travel company Thomas Cook for the deaths of her children Robert, six, and Christianne, seven, after the carbon monoxide leak in their hotel room.

They had been on holiday with their father Neil Shepherd, 41, from Wakefield, West Yorkshire, and his partner Ruth Beatson, 37, whom he has since married.

Both were left in a coma by the gas leak.

Thirteen people, including two Thomas Cook staff — Richard Carson, 28, and Nicola Gibson, 26 — have been charged with responsibility for their deaths.

In an opening statement read to the court, Ms Wood said: "I am here to see justice done, since it is the least I can do for our children.

"Our children came here for what should have been a holiday. Their safety was in someone else's hands, but we were let down. For this, we are forever left in pain."

In a separate statement, she said: "I hold Thomas Cook totally and utterly responsible for what happened. They should have checked that the place they were sending their clients was safe."

The leak, from air conditioning and heating pipes, took place in October 2006.

Christianne (Christi) and Robert (Bobby) Shepherd, pictured below, were found dead in their bungalow of the Corcyra Beach hotel at Gouves.

Thomas Cook made clear it was seeking a not guilty verdict and "total vindication".