Lift shaft death turned holiday into a 'nightmare'

Tyler Kerry's body was found partially clothed at the bottom of a lift shaft at a hotel in Antalya in Turkey

A dream family holiday to Turkey turned into a "living nightmare" after a British man was found fatally injured in a lift shaft, his grandmother has said.

Tyler Kerry, 20, from Basildon in Essex, was discovered on Friday morning at the hotel he was staying at near Lara Beach in Antalya.

His grandmother, Collette Kerry, said Turkish police told her they were treating his death as suspicious and mystery still surrounds it.

"It's not a holiday any more, it's a living nightmare," she said.

Mrs Kerry described her grandson as " full of life, enjoying his holiday and the people he was meeting"

The family arrived in Turkey on Wednesday, but less than 36 hours after arriving at the hotel Mr Kerry was found dead.

He was holidaying in the Mediterranean seaside city with his grandparents, Collette and Ray Kerry, girlfriend Molly and other relatives.

'It's a mystery'

Mrs Kerry said she was woken early on Friday morning by another grandson banging on her door to say Mr Kerry had fallen at the Trendy Lara Hotel.

"We followed him to the basement of the hotel and Tyler is lying at the bottom of a lift shaft, the lift was closed and he had... just a pair of boxers and socks. He was flat on his face," she said.

"They are saying they are treating it as a suspicious death, but it will be up to the prosecutor to decide if that's what it is going to be.

"It doesn't seem real. It's like I'm in a living nightmare.

"It's a mystery about how he ended up there."

'Lost without him'

She said: "My brain feels like spaghetti, I've been non-stop fighting for justice for my boy.

"I've had no time to grieve for my lad because I don't know what's happened to him.

"I have non-stop cried and every time I close my eyes all I can see is him lying at the bottom of the lift shaft."

Mrs Kerry described her grandson as "a smiler" who was "full of life, enjoying his holiday and the people he was meeting".

"He's a lovely boy, very family orientated and very protective," she said.

"He was the best thing that ever happened to me. I loved him with all my heart and I'm so lost without him."

Mr Kerry added that his grandson was "always happy and hard-working".

Mrs Kerry said she has been "non-stop fighting for justice" for her grandson

Tyler Kerry was last seen by his brother and cousin asleep on a sofa in the hotel's lobby.

They left him for "a few minutes" to get a drink but when they returned he was gone, with his T-shirt and jacket left behind, Mrs Kerry said.

Two members of staff pointed to the lift shaft when asked if they had seen him, she added.

Mr Kerry said his grandson's trousers and a vape, covered in blood, were found on the first floor of the hotel.

The couple said it had been "extremely frustrating" trying to get answers from hotel staff and police in Turkey and said at times it felt like they were "banging their heads against a brick wall".

Mr Kerry's body is being repatriated later.

The BBC has contacted Turkish police for comment.

A spokesperson for the hotel said: "We would like to share our heartfelt condolences to the family of Tyler Kerry who sadly passed away while on holiday at Trendy Lara Hotel.

"We will continue to provide support to Tyler’s family at this incredibly difficult time.

"As this is a police investigation we are unable to comment further."