Jordan Burrows, 31, fell from a balcony days before his wedding (Picture: SWNS)
Jordan Burrows, 31, fell from a balcony days before his wedding (Picture: SWNS)

A British man was forced to miss his own wedding after a 14-foot fall from a balcony left him with serious head injuries.

Jordan Burrows, 31, had travelled to the five-star Nana Beach Hotel in Greece with 42 family members and friends so that he could marry his fiance Chloe.

But their trip turned into a holiday from hell when he fell over a knee-high wall on a balcony and plummeted to the ground in May last year.

He was rushed to Heraklion Hospital, where doctors discovered he had a depressed skull fracture, internal bleeding and an ankle fracture from the fall.

Worse still, both Tui and his travel insurance provider allegedly refused to help him because he had been drinking before the accident – meaning he had to make the 2,400-mile journey home by bus, train and ferry.

Jordan Burrows pictured in hospital, on holiday in Crete. See SWNS story SWLEfall. A groom who plunged from Crete balcony on eve of his wedding was forced to make 2,400 MILE journey home by BUS. A groom who plunged 14 ft from a low-level balcony in Crete, suffering serious head injuries, was subjected to a horrific FOUR DAY journey back to Britain by BUS when his insurer refused to pay out and his tour operator TUI failed to step in. Jordan Burrows, 31, from Wigan had travelled to the luxury Nana Beach Hotel with 42 of his friends and family for a 2-week trip, where he was due to wed his girlfriend of 10 years. But the trip of a lifetime turned into a nightmare when, on the EVE of his wedding, he tumbled over a knee-height landing wall, plummeting to the ground. He sustained a depressed skull fracture with internal bleeding and an ankle fracture in the fall, and was rushed to Heraklion Hospital, where he spent a week. He was incredibly lucky to survive, but he faced a long recovery.
He was left with serious head injuries (Picture: SWNS)
Jordan Burrows pictured by the balcony from which he fell. See SWNS story SWLEfall. A groom who plunged from Crete balcony on eve of his wedding was forced to make 2,400 MILE journey home by BUS. A groom who plunged 14 ft from a low-level balcony in Crete, suffering serious head injuries, was subjected to a horrific FOUR DAY journey back to Britain by BUS when his insurer refused to pay out and his tour operator TUI failed to step in. Jordan Burrows, 31, from Wigan had travelled to the luxury Nana Beach Hotel with 42 of his friends and family for a 2-week trip, where he was due to wed his girlfriend of 10 years. But the trip of a lifetime turned into a nightmare when, on the EVE of his wedding, he tumbled over a knee-height landing wall, plummeting to the ground. He sustained a depressed skull fracture with internal bleeding and an ankle fracture in the fall, and was rushed to Heraklion Hospital, where he spent a week. He was incredibly lucky to survive, but he faced a long recovery.
The balcony had a 14-foot drop on the other side (Picture: SWNS)

Jordan, from Wigan, said: ‘What should have been the happiest day of my life turned into a nightmare.

‘I’m amazed it hadn’t happened to someone sooner given the low height of the wall on the landing, despite it being about 14 feet up.

‘I was extremely lucky to survive the fall, albeit with serious head injuries.

‘As I began to recover in the hospital, we assumed that the worst was over, but unfortunately it was only going to get worse, with a horrendous journey by land across Europe to get home to the UK.

‘It was the worst four days of my life.’

Jordan Burrows and his partner Chloe. See SWNS story SWLEfall. A groom who plunged from Crete balcony on eve of his wedding was forced to make 2,400 MILE journey home by BUS. A groom who plunged 14 ft from a low-level balcony in Crete, suffering serious head injuries, was subjected to a horrific FOUR DAY journey back to Britain by BUS when his insurer refused to pay out and his tour operator TUI failed to step in. Jordan Burrows, 31, from Wigan had travelled to the luxury Nana Beach Hotel with 42 of his friends and family for a 2-week trip, where he was due to wed his girlfriend of 10 years. But the trip of a lifetime turned into a nightmare when, on the EVE of his wedding, he tumbled over a knee-height landing wall, plummeting to the ground. He sustained a depressed skull fracture with internal bleeding and an ankle fracture in the fall, and was rushed to Heraklion Hospital, where he spent a week. He was incredibly lucky to survive, but he faced a long recovery.
The couple have since tied the knot (Picture: SWNS)

Chloe was forced to leave Jordan behind in Crete after the accident, as she had to take the couple’s children back to the UK.

He then made the journey home under the care of his mother, who had to take time off work due to the stress.

Describing the situation as a ‘horrendous ordeal’, Chloe said: ‘It was devastating to be separated from him and I was so worried about his injuries and how the journey home would affect him.

‘I was not able to work after the accident as Jordan needed me, and our little girl Bessie suffered with anxiety, which was noted by her teacher.

‘I wouldn’t want this to happen to any other family.’

Jordan Burrows pictured in hospital, on holiday in Crete with partner Chloe. See SWNS story SWLEfall. A groom who plunged from Crete balcony on eve of his wedding was forced to make 2,400 MILE journey home by BUS. A groom who plunged 14 ft from a low-level balcony in Crete, suffering serious head injuries, was subjected to a horrific FOUR DAY journey back to Britain by BUS when his insurer refused to pay out and his tour operator TUI failed to step in. Jordan Burrows, 31, from Wigan had travelled to the luxury Nana Beach Hotel with 42 of his friends and family for a 2-week trip, where he was due to wed his girlfriend of 10 years. But the trip of a lifetime turned into a nightmare when, on the EVE of his wedding, he tumbled over a knee-height landing wall, plummeting to the ground. He sustained a depressed skull fracture with internal bleeding and an ankle fracture in the fall, and was rushed to Heraklion Hospital, where he spent a week. He was incredibly lucky to survive, but he faced a long recovery.
Chloe described the ordeal the fall put the whole family through (Picture: SWNS)

Jordan is now back at work, he says he still suffers from ankle pain, fatigue, headaches and sleep disturbance.

He and Chloe have since managed to get married, despite the accident ruining their initial plans.

Fortunately Jordan was able to recover the cost of his long journey home by his insurers – but he is now taking Tui to court over their alleged lack of assistance at the time.

He said: ‘When you book a holiday to a 5-star hotel for your wedding with a tour operator like Tui, you expect a certain level of care and to be safe, but Tui failed to step in when we needed help.’

Joanne Brine, a partner at the legal firm representing Jordan, said: ‘Jordan’s accident took place in May 2018, yet to this date Tui has failed to comply with the usual protocol that we follow, nor to substantively respond, offer any apology or explanation for the despicable way this young man was treated.

‘His fall – over an inexplicably low, unfit-for-purpose landing wall – not only ruined what should have been the best day of his life, but left him fighting for his life.’

‘A spokesperson for Tui said they were ‘very sorry’ to hear of Jordan’s experience in Crete but could not comment further as it is now a ‘legal matter’.

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