Holidaymakers threw out their luggage and had their house fumigated after claiming a 'bed bug infestation' on their Jet2 holiday 'followed' them back to the UK.

Manuela Johnson jetted off to Lanzarote to celebrate her birthday with her husband Stelian Johnson, 53, and best friend Maria Henderson on October 31st.

But after an 'amazing' start to their stay at a hotel in Lanzarote, Spain, the sales manager claims bites began to appear all over her husband's body.

At first, she believed Stelian was suffering from an allergic reaction but when marks began to appear on Manuela's legs too, the pair visited a doctor who reportedly confirmed they were bed bug bites.

(Image: Kennedy News & Media)

Horrifying photos show the couple covered head to toe in clusters of itchy, red marks.

When the couple checked their room on their return to the hotel, Manuela claims they were shocked to find the bed frame covered in bed bugs and eggs.

Following their discovery she claims they reported the infestation to the hotel manager and a Jet2 agent who agreed to steam their belongings and move them to another room.

But after changing rooms, she claims their bags were never fumigated and believes this led to them taking the infestation back to the UK with them on November 7.

As a result, the 44-year-old claims they were left with no choice but to 'strip' at their front door and throw away all their luggage to stop the bed bugs taking over their house.

Unfortunately, Manuela claims her friend Maria was not as lucky and was left having to fork out £1,164 on pest control after the bed bugs allegedly followed her into her home from her suitcase.

Manuela, from Croydon in South London, said: "The first two days were amazing but on the third day we began to experience bites on our legs.

"It was first my husband and then they moved onto me. By the end of the holiday, I was also covered head to toe in bites. I didn't have as many as my husband. He had hundreds of bites all over him.

"The bed bugs were on the bed frame. There were lots of bed bugs and eggs all over it.

"The hospital told us to go and check our mattress. We opened the mattress and we saw them. I was shocked.

"Imagine sleeping on this bed. It's unbelievable and it's not healthy for all these bugs to be crawling all over you at night.

"When they moved us to a different room they didn't put any treatment on our luggage.

"A Jet2 agent came on site and spoke to the hotel manager and told us we needed to leave our belongings in the room.

"[Before moving rooms] they said they were going to steam all our luggage but they didn't do this so we brought the infestation with us [to the UK].

"My friend was fine during the holiday, however as soon as we arrived in the UK she began to get bites on her leg.

"Immediately she contacted pest control. She was informed that her house was infested with bed bugs and she's undergoing treatment for this.

"Our suitcases were all together in the same car. We strongly believe this is how it happened as we can't explain how else my friend got bed bugs in her house.

"We have just moved into a new property and we had to throw away all our luggage when we landed back in the UK.

"I was very stressed and in shock of what had happened so we threw away everything and removed our clothes by the door before entering our house.

"We had three suitcases and had to throw everything away. I'd say it would be thousands of pounds worth of items.

"It was the best decision we made after seeing what happened to my friend's house."

On holiday, Manuela's friend Maria who was staying in another room in the hotel claims she suffered no bed bug bites.

But a few days after returning from the four-star hotel the 52-year-old claims red marks began to appear on her legs.

After calling out pest control, she claims they found bed bugs in her home and now believes they were transferred from the Johnson's suitcases onto her belongings.

Maria, from Peckham in London, said: "A few days after I got back to the UK I started to get itchy.

"I'm not sure if I was bitten at home or on holiday and they showed up later.

"Pest control came and they found bed bugs in my house and the treatment cost me a fortune.

"It was more expensive than my holiday. It was £1,164. They had to do a fumigation and steam treatment. I had several bites all over my body.

"I'm so angry. They said it was four stars but it wasn't even one star. It was filthy and dirty.

"I believe the bed bugs came back in my friend's luggage.

"Even now I have paranoia when I'm sleeping and I wake up in the night. I want my money back."

Manuela said the trip cost the trio over two grand and they had to fork out 230 euros in Lanzarote for private medical treatment for their bites.

After returning from their trip, Manuela and Maria said they have both reached out to Jet2 but only been met with automated responses.

And despite saying they are healing well from their bites, Manuela says they whole experience 'ruined' her holiday.

Manuela said: "It has given me anxiety for future travel. Until next Thursday [when we know our house isn't infested], our stress levels are through the ceiling.

"I cannot understand how Jet2 holidays or the hotel itself hasn't even bothered to reach out and take full responsibility.

"No one has reached out to us and apologised for what we have experienced.

"We have not asked for any kind of compensation, we just want the accommodation price to be given back to us and medical expenses as I think this is fair.

"We had been saving all this time for the holiday and it was a birthday present and we have now wasted all this money."

A Jet2 spokesperson said: "We can confirm that we are investigating this as a matter of priority. As soon as we were made aware, our teams did all they could to assist including moving the customers to a different room.

"As an award-winning company, we want our customers to have the best experience with us, so we are investigating fully and will respond to [Maria Henderson] directly once this investigation is complete."

The hotel were contacted for comment.