A HOLIDAYMAKER was critically ill last night in a Spanish hospital after he is thought to have contracted Legionnaires' Disease.

Chris Gill, 53, developed the symptoms - a form of pneumonia - while on a luxury Mediterranean cruise.

His two children have flown out to be with him and his wife, Carol, and sister, Teresa Gill, who were with him on the cruise, are at his bedside.

Last night, Mr Gill, who is in intensive care, was described as critical but stable.

Mr Gill, from Carrville, near Durham City, is on a ventilator and is expected to stay in hospital for several weeks.

The ship is operated by Royal Caribbean, and last night the company's director of communications, Michael Sheehan, speaking from Florida, said there was no risk to other passengers.

He said: "This passenger could have got this before he got on the ship, or in any of the ports of call. There are many possibilities."

The cruise boat, the Legend of the Sea, was detained in Barcelona for an extra day while authorities decided if there was a risk to the 2,000 passengers.

Mr Gill's sister, from Darlington, said she felt Royal Caribbean had "washed their hands" of the problem.

She believes Mr Gill may have contracted the bacterium which causes the disease on the ship.

"The passengers have been told he has pneumonia, that's all. We feel we have been treated very badly. Royal Caribbean didn't tell us anything, we had to find it out ourselves."

On June 27, Mr Gill became very ill and was rushed to hospital when the ship docked in Barcelona. Doctors diagnosed Mr Gill with Legionella Pneumophilia, the bacterium which causes Legionnaires' Disease.

Mr Sheehan said: "We looked at the other guests' medical records and none of them had reported similar incidents.

"We cleaned, sanitised and super-chlorinated all the water systems, including the Jacuzzi, showers, drinking water.

"We have discussed this with Spanish authorities, English health authorities and with the Centre for Disease Control in the US and everybody is very happy with our actions."

Legionnaires' Disease is a respiratory disease. Infection usually happens when people breathe droplets of water containing the bacterium. Early symptoms include headache and muscle pain which develops into high fever and chills, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea.