Former Sark doctor dies after fall on the 'cruise from hell'

THE liner aboard which Sark's former medical officer died docked in Falmouth yesterday after what passengers described as a cruise from hell. Dr Michael Bedford, 70, died from head injuries on Tuesday 13 September after falling down a spiral staircase.

Dr Frank Teunisse, his successor, said: 'He was a very well-liked and excellent rural doctor. To do 24 hours on call and work on until you are 70 is a remarkable feat.

'Even after his own wife passed away nine years after he arrived in the island in 1987, he kept practising as a doctor on his own. There would not be many people who could cope to do that.

'He did a lot of minor surgery on the island, which meant that many did not have to travel to Guernsey.'

Dozens of the 500 mainly elderly passengers were injured during the MV Athena's 24-day cruise, which was pounded by bad weather.

After being delayed by rough seas, the liner was turned away from several ports. People who had paid up to £4,000 each held a sit-in protest as tempers flared between passengers, crew and tour reps.

The voyage made only four of its seven planned ports of call - and in the wrong order.

John Watchman - who served in the Royal Navy for 25 years - paid £5,000 for a cruise with his wife, Dot.

'This ship just wasn't prepared. The cabin furniture was falling apart - beds were collapsing and TVs were being thrown across rooms,' he said.

Holiday firm Travelscope chartered Athena for the 'New York, New England and Canada's Maple Leaf Trail' cruise.

It left Falmouth on Sunday 10 September for St John's, Newfoundland, but two days later hit the edge of Hurricane Gordon.

Richard Ford, managing director of Gloucester-based Travelscope, met passengers on the quayside yesterday.

He said many of the difficulties had been out of his hands.

He said: 'I apologise sincerely for any problems. To have a death on board is a tragedy.'