A father-of-two with Chron’s disease was left feeling ‘humiliated’ when he was booted out of Butlins swimming baths for having a colostomy bag.

Ian Coates, 48, says he was queuing with his son to get on a water slide when a lifeguard stopped him and said he was not allowed in with a stoma.

He says he stood at the pool entrance for about 40 minutes in his swimming trunks as he argued with staff.

It was only after Ian shamed Butlins on social media later that day that the holiday camp let him into the water the next morning.

Butlins have since apologised and are now being helped by charities to train staff on how to treat customers with colostomy bags.

Ian, who has been battling Chron’s disease for more than nine years, was barred from the pool on the first day of a week away with his family.

He said: ‘This was deeply upsetting, humiliating and I was extremely angry. Holidays are important to us.’

As he was waiting to go on the water slide with his 11-year-old son, he says a lifeguard asked him to step aside ‘like he’d done something wrong.’

He said he was questioned over whether he had been on the slide before with the colostomy bag and was made to stand at the front of queue with everyone stood behind them.

He added: ‘They said I wasn’t allowed on with my stoma and this was clearly audible to the people queuing because a lady joined in, defending me.

‘She said her son had a stoma and he was allowed on. She kindly offered to take my son on and he agreed.’

‘I’m in a colostomy group where people have been to water parks all over the world and post pictures with their bags all the time.’

Ian spent 10 minutes waiting at the side of the pool, in full view of other visitors, after asking to see the manager of the Skegness site.

He was told there would be a delay as the manager was ‘writing out a policy’ on colostomy bags.

He added: ‘It was total ignorance. The manager came down and kept apologising, but said I couldn’t go on.’

‘I said “you’ve ruined the holiday, we’ll have to go home.”‘

Ian estimates he was arguing with staff by the side of the pool in total for about 40 minutes and hadn’t even dipped his toe in the water.

As the family entered the changing rooms, the Butlins team leader approached them and said they were going to be hold a meeting on the policy.

He was told there may be an update if he went to the reception desk the following morning.

His wife went to get him a support belt for his stoma, which he has never needed to go swimming before.

Ian, from Ipswich, Suffolk, said he did not sleep well that night and his family felt so ‘unsettled’ they did not unpack.

He shared his ordeal on Facebook, which enraged both people with and without stomas.

Ian nervously returned to the pool the next day and was met by new members of staff.

As he lifted his t-shirt to show his colostomy bag a member of staff behind the desk said there was no problem.

He added: ‘They called down the duty team leader and he was very polite and said as long as I wore a support belt, it’d be fine.’

Butlins Splash Waterworld website says the pool is ‘accessible for all’ and makes no mention of stomas or colostomy bags.

Ian says several charities have since been in contact with Butlins and are offering training for their staff.

Colostomy UK said they spoke to Butlins on Friday confirmed it is not their policy to deny entry to customers with a stoma or any other hidden condition.

A spokesperson for the charity said they have since been making staff across Butlins’ venues aware of the correct guidance to pass on to customers.

A Butlin’s spokesman said: ‘We do allow guests with colostomy bags to use our pools, slides and flumes and it is regrettable we made a mistake in this instance.

‘The error was corrected as quickly as possible and the guest was subsequently able to use the pool facilities, nonetheless we apologise sincerely for any upset and concern that this has caused.

‘We are reviewing our team training and working with the charity Colostomy UK to seek their advice in this area to ensure there are no similar incidents in future. We have also contacted the guest concerned to apologise.’

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