Tom Channon was 18 years old and celebrating the completion of his A levels on holiday when he fell 50ft over a high wall.
After the tragic death of their son from Magaluf, a Spanish family won safety inspections at Spanish hotels.
Tom Channon was 18, celebrating the completion of his A levels on holiday with his friends. He fell over a high wall at Eden Roc in Majorca in July 2018 and ended up 50ft from his death.
Tom was tragically killed in the fall of his hotel room in June, just months after Thomas Hughes (a 20-year-old British holidaymaker) died. There had never been any fence.
Natalie Cormack (19 years old), a Briton from West Kilbridge (Ayrshire), also lost her life at Eden Roc in April 2018. She was trying to scale a balcony.
Now, the Foreign Office can perform a ‘Tom’s Check’ in hotels that they believe may require additional safety precautions.
These checks enable consular staff members to communicate with resorts and conduct safety inspections at the resorts.
The British consulate offers a safety training programme called Tom’s Check. It aims at improving the safety of tourists.
This will be done to ensure staff from the consulate are in contact with relevant authorities and ask them to visit the site to discuss any safety concerns.
Tom’s Check requests then that consulate staff and their families meet with police to talk about safety issues or investigations.
The family will agree on a plan to determine where consulate staff could be contacted.
Before it can be rolled out in other places, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office will test the measures.
Photo: Scene of tragedy. The Foreign Office now has the power to conduct “Tom’s Check” at any hotel they feel may require extra safety measures.
Ceri and John Tom’s parents were shocked to hear that Tom had died only a month before another British tourist died from a fall at the hotel. No fence was erected.
John, Tom’s father and Ceri, Tom’s mother (midwife), are proud to have seen the improvements made in Tom’s name.
Barry-based Mr. Channon of Rhoose said the biggest shock was when they discovered that there had not been any action taken in the wake of Tom’s passing.
He stated, “Perhaps some things weren’t done as you would have expected.”
“On the Majorcan side quite clearly there had been an accident just five weeks before but nothing was done to make this area safe.”
Mister Channon stated that if any of the above can be used to save one person’s life, then that will surely be something we can claim was Tom’s memory.
Mother of two sons, Mrs Channon said that they have always been five, and are still. You’re leading a life that you could never have imagined. I think about Tom always in the present.
“It’s simply finding a way for him to keep going, and it’s all about making himself proud.”
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office stated that they continue to collaborate with Tom’s parents to make sure their families have the right information and built on the work we did to stop tragic accidents happening in the future.
An inquest into Tom’s death in June 2019 revealed no safety measures were installed at the hotel the teenager was staying at after fellow tourist Thomas Hughes, 20, died just weeks before.
Inquest revealed that Tom, who was staying in the Hotel Florida nearby, wandered into an incorrect complex after he was cut off from his friends.
The body of the victim was found in his apartment on July 12. A 911 call was placed to Spanish authorities at 10.05 AM.
After the death of his son, Channon demanded immediate safety improvements.
He said that he was just like every other teenager of his age and full of life. We all know Magaluf attracts a lot young people.
“They are looking for fun, enjoyment, and a great time.
“Tom did not die in vain. We will press to ensure we have the answers we need and that we can put together an urgent plan to prevent you from being in the same situation again.