Teenage girl's holiday drink horror

Sep 4 2008 by Simon Walton, Evening Gazette

A TEENAGER has vowed never to touch alcohol again after an exotic holiday cocktail containing a secret ingredient caused her head to swell to abnormal proportions.

Corinne Coyle, 19, of Middlesbrough, was rushed to hospital in Cretes popular party resort of Malia after just a few sips.

The cocktail, bought in a Greek bar for 10 euros (£7.80), and served in a bowl, is said to contain a mixture of Baileys, chilli powder, tequila, absinthe, ouzo, vodka, cider and gin, plus a secret ingredient.

Today Corinne was safely back in Middlesbrough after her ordeal but her facial features have still not returned to normal.

As she tried to sleep off the devastating side-effects in a darkened room, her mum Fiona Roth, 43, of Astonbury Green, Easterside, explained how one drink turned her daughters dream holiday into a nightmare.

She said: She drank only about a third of it then her friend said have you seen your head? Then Corinne said I know, I have brain-freeze.

When they went to the toilet her forehead had doubled in size. She panicked and they got straight into a taxi and went to hospital.

Corinne, who went on holiday last week with her friend Nicola Galbraith, 21, a nursery nurse, also of Middlesbrough, was put on a drip and tablets and spent two days in hospital following the Friday scare.

The doctors said the swelling was caused by a chemical reaction and they had seen a similar incident within the last couple of weeks.

Fiona, a home care assistant, said: She couldnt see out of her right eye because of the swelling. She only had the one drink. It was the first bar they had been to that night. Within 20 minutes of drinking it that was the reaction she got.

Corinne, an administrator in media and arts at the University of Teesside and a former pupil at Macmillan Academy, Middlesbrough, was flown home in the early hours of Tuesday morning and has spent the last two days being examined at the James Cook University Hospital and by her GP. Doctors are still waiting for the results.

Corinne tried to get home earlier but she was not allowed to fly due to the swelling. However, she sent pictures on her phone to her mum.

Fiona said: I couldnt even recognise my own daughter. What if she had not gone for medical help? I just hope to God it goes back to normal because shes a really pretty girl. I just hope theres no lasting damage.

She was scared, said Fiona. She was confused. She was in really bad shock. She couldnt even speak on the phone.

I tried to get a flight out but I couldnt get one in time. I felt useless. I just wanted to be with her.

The swelling went down a bit but then the flight back made it worse again with the altitude.

Corinne has a little beauty spot on the corner of her right eye and its dropped down her face by about an inch.

Corinne - described by her mum as a popular and bubbly girl who would never touch drugs and enjoys the cinema and bowling - was released from hospital on Sunday but had to wait for two days before it was safe for her to fly home.

The teenager, who lives with her mum, sister Ashleigh Coyle, 14, and Fionas husband Stephen Roth, 42, has vowed never to drink again.

She said she will never touch alcohol again, said Fiona, who is relieved to have her daughter back at home.

Earlier today Corinne was still trying to sleep off her illness.

Shes not very well. She still has a bad head, said Fiona. Light hurts her head so we have had to darken her room.

Her face has gone right down but her features are still not back to normal.

Fiona, who also has two other children, Kirsty Hughes, 22, and 24-year-old Anthony Coyle, is now waiting to hear what test results come back before she considers taking any further action over the holiday disaster.

Doctors have advised Corinne to rest and drink plenty of water. It is unknown at this stage whether her face will return to normal.