Daughter of Burnley couple who died on Egyptian holiday set for meeting with Lord Chancellor in her quest to find out truth about their deaths

The request for the meeting was made by Burnley MP Antony Higginbotham in the House of Commons yesterday on behalf of Kelly Ormerod whose parents, John and Susan Cooper ,died on the family holiday in the resort of Hurghada in August, 2018.

The meeting is expected to take place in the next couple of weeks.

Kelly said today: "After over two years of trying to find answers as to the cause of my parents death, trying to comprehend what went wrong, who was responsible and why this happened, this intervention is giving my family hope that a resolution can be found."

Kelly was on a Thomas Cook holiday in Egypt with her parents when tragedy struck.

She found them both close to collapse in their room at the five-star Steigenberger Aqua Magic Hotel in the Red Sea resort of Hurghada. Doctors were called but it was too late for John who was 69. Susan, who was 63, died in the ambulance on the way to hospital.

Egyptian authorities said that the tragic deaths were due to natural causes linked to an E.coli infection.

But at a preliminary inquest in the UK a report presented by expert Dr Nick Gent, a senior medical advisor at Public Health England, suggested “infectious biological agent or toxic chemicals” were to blame.

The hearing was opened and adjourned in Preston in May, 2019, and a fuller hearing was expected to take place later in the year. The coroner, Dr James Adeley, said the Foreign and Commonwealth Office approached the Egyptian authorities on 25 separate occasions before a report was released in February but it did not include the full post mortem results from Egypt or the examination of the hotel room.

The coroner wrote directly to the Egyptian Prosecutor General to insist again the relevant information is sent over and a final answer can be given to the family.

Thomas Cook went out of business in September last year, and Kelly, who was holidaying with her parents and her three children, says she feels like she has been left 'in limbo' since then.

The MP said the lack of information as to what caused her parents' death had caused Kelly and her family considerable distress and anxiety saying: "They have been denied the answers they are looking for and deserve."

Describing the case as 'sensitive and sad' Lord Chancellor Robert Buckland said he was happy for a meeting to go ahead.

He said that his officials had been in touch with the senior coroner but he did point out that the British government could not compel the production of documents from the Eygptian authorities.

Kelly has moved into her parents’ home in Burnley and she and her children have created a beautiful woodland memorial on the edge of Towneley Park in their honour. Many well wishers have left their own messages of comfort and support there.

Married in 1975, the couple met at the former Hop nightclub in Burnley where John worked as a doorman.

The son of a miner, John attended St Mary's Primary and the former Towneley High schools.

He also worked as a window cleaner before going into the building trade, launching his own business, Safe As Houses, which specialised in building properties and extensions.

A keen diver, John, who was affectionately known as "Cooperman" also enjoyed pot holing and clay pigeon shooting and he shot for the England team.

A freemason, he was a member of the Abbey lodge at Whalley. Nelson born Susan was a former pupil at Walverden Infants, St John's Primary and the former Mansfield High schools.

Susan, had worked for Thomas Cook travel agents in Burnley town centre for many years but before that she worked for Holt's Shoes in Nelson, ATS Tyres and was the Estee Lauder representative in Debenhams, Blackburn.

Susan's father, Alan Gradwell, also owned a bookmakers and a butcher's stall on Nelson Market for many years.

Her brother Stuart now runs the butcher's stall on Clitheroe Market.