Wrexham campaigner awarded BEM after friend's fatal Magaluf fall

Georgia Hague, 26, from Wrexham, has been awarded a British Empire Medal

A campaigner whose friend fell to her death at a Majorcan holiday resort says she was surprised to be included on the Queen's Birthday Honours list.

Georgia Hague, 26, from Wrexham, has been awarded a British Empire Medal.

Her friend Natalie Cormack, from West Kilbride in Ayrshire, died when she fell from the seventh floor of the Eden Roc apartment block in Magaluf in April 2018.

Two young men died at the complex in separate incidents later that summer.

Natalie Cormack died at Eden Roc in 2018

In June of the same year Tom Hughes, 20, from Wrexham, fell to his death from a walkway at the holiday flats.

The following month Thomas Channon, 18, from Rhoose in the Vale of Glamorgan, was killed after falling 70ft (21m) over a knee-high wall at the complex.

After her friend's death Ms Hague started her own Don't Leave a Friend Behind campaign to raise awareness of balcony falls and other dangers on holiday.

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She then worked with the Foreign Office on its Stick with your Mates consular campaign.

"It started to sink in that it wasn't a shocking factor in Magaluf - residents, workers who lived there a long time, they are used to balcony falls and this type of thing happening.

"To them it's just like one of those things.

"To me, it really really upset me, it bothered me. I felt something had to be done, it wasn't talked about enough."

Tomas Hughes, from Wrexham, fell to his death from a walkway at the holiday apartment block.

She funded a poster campaign in the resort's hotels and bars and put the message out on Facebook.

Calvia council, the local authority in Magaluf, also stepped in to help expand the campaign.

"The main message of Don't Leave a Friend Behind [is] stay with your friends on a night out," she said.

"Stick together and think of the dangers involved in a night out as well."

'Be aware'

Safety improvements have been made at Eden Roc since Ms Hague's campaign started, but she said it was pressure from the family of Thomas Channon that finally brought it about.

"They raised a lot of awareness, they flew out there and they did a lot on that, so something was finally done with the wall," she said.

She was nominated for her award for services to the British community in the Balearics by officials from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Georgia Hague was awarded the BEM for services to the British community in the Balearics

Sir Philip Barton, permanent under secretary, said: "I congratulate everyone receiving an honour and thank them for their hard work and years of service.

"Britain's impact around the world depends on exceptional people like those recognised in this year's Queen's Birthday Honours. We are grateful for their outstanding contribution."

Ms Hague plans to continue campaigning.

She said: "We've had girls' holidays, and we think about what's going to be the most fun, the best nightlife... and you don't think about all the dangers out there at all.

"I just hope that this raises awareness for other holiday resorts.

"It could damage their tourism if they don't have safe buildings and safety measures in place.

"I want people to be more aware of where they are going as well, and obviously have fun."