# Who would have thought it?



## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

Five Scots are dying on average in Spain each week, a funeral director has revealed.

Glasgow-based Frank Lynch, who repatriates the majority of the bodies, said almost all die in the resort of Benidorm.

He blamed a combination of searing temperatures and cold seas for the deaths.

He said that about 400 bodies a year are returned to Scotland from locations including Portugal and Turkey.

Mr Lynch said: "On average, we deal with about five a week.

"In Benidorm, a vast number of Scottish people have bought houses and it's obviously a popular holiday resort.

"They soak up the sun and then jump into the sea, which can lead to heart attacks in some cases."

Mr Lynch warned that it costs about £4,500 to repatriate a body and urged holiday-makers to take out insurance.

He added: "People don't realise the number's so high.

"It's really important to take out adequate insurance and take care in the sun."


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## sensationalfrog (Mar 31, 2010)

MaidenScotland said:


> Five Scots are dying on average in Spain each week, a funeral director has revealed.
> 
> Glasgow-based Frank Lynch, who repatriates the majority of the bodies, said almost all die in the resort of Benidorm.
> 
> ...


so sunbathing and swimming kills you,more like deep fried mars bars,looking for insurance if you ask me


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

sensationalfrog said:


> so sunbathing and swimming kills you,more like deep fried mars bars,looking for insurance if you ask me




I am sorry I don't understand the quote..looking for insurance if you ask me[/QUOTE]


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## Claire la richarde (Jul 6, 2009)

While we're on gloomy statistics, according to the latest Foreign Office figures I could find, 1,825 British nationals died in Spain in the year from 1st April 2008 - 31st March 2009.

I believe the figures for 2009 - 2010 will be published next month. Just in case you wanted to know.


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## Nignoy (Jun 4, 2010)

*shock*

obviously the shock of old water hitting their sporran is proving fatal for scottish expats, since the electric sporran was banned the risk has grown


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Don't you think it may be due to eating the 'wrong' kind of food, cheaper cigarettes and cheap alcohol? That doesn't just apply to Scots (OH is Scottish so no Sassenach prejudice involved here).
I notice that quite a few young British holidaymakers die in falls from hotel balconies.
And, interestingly, a high percentage of Czechs die in drowning accidents. Probably due to the fact that they live in a landlocked country and don't know how dangerous and unpredictable the sea can be.


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## sensationalfrog (Mar 31, 2010)

MaidenScotland said:


> I am sorry I don't understand the quote..looking for insurance if you ask me


[/QUOTE]

mr lynch urges people to take out insurance,

i am glad your not flying my plane


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

mr lynch urges people to take out insurance,

i am glad your not flying my plane[/QUOTE]



Yes I know he is urging people to make sure they have insurance... but I still cannot work out why you would say what you did...' looking for insurance? ''


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## Claire la richarde (Jul 6, 2009)

mrypg9 said:


> Don't you think it may be due to eating the 'wrong' kind of food, cheaper cigarettes and cheap alcohol? That doesn't just apply to Scots (OH is Scottish so no Sassenach prejudice involved here).
> I notice that quite a few young British holidaymakers die in falls from hotel balconies.
> And, interestingly, a high percentage of Czechs die in drowning accidents. Probably due to the fact that they live in a landlocked country and don't know how dangerous and unpredictable the sea can be.


For British nationals, the figures for Spain and France for 2008-2009 were
Spain: 17,000,000 visitors, 761,000 residents, 1,825 deaths
France: 14,000,000 visitors, 200,000 residents, 152 deaths

It no doubt depends on the health profile of the British people before they go on holiday to Spain or France or move there, and their behaviour once they're there, i.e. those aspects that affect health such as diet, alcohol intake and risk taking.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Claire la richarde said:


> For British nationals, the figures for Spain and France for 2008-2009 were
> Spain: 17,000,000 visitors, 761,000 residents, 1,825 deaths
> France: 14,000,000 visitors, 200,000 residents, 152 deaths
> 
> It no doubt depends on the health profile of the British people before they go on holiday to Spain or France or move there, and their behaviour once they're there, i.e. those aspects that affect health such as diet, alcohol intake and risk taking.


Thanks for those very interesting..and revealing...figures.
The proportionately higher number of deaths of Brits in Spain could tell a lot about the socio-economic background of many people who choose Spain rather than France or Italy as a holiday or residential destination.
I've never understood those who describe Brits here as 'wealthy'....of course there are some but the majority of us are not and those figures could substantiate that supposition as people with higher incomes/socio-economic status tend to be healthier and live longer - one of life's unfairnesses.
Northern Italy and parts of France tend to be the favoured destinations for wealthier middle-class people, hence perhaps the lower proportion of fatalities?
This has implications for the kind of care required for British immigrants to Spain. Do we out a disproportionate burden on Spanish medical services, as I have heard some claim?
If I'm brutally honest about my own self, I'm overweight, probably drink too much and don't exercise enough. Up to now I haven't required help from the local centro de salud ...yet.
My problem is that heat brings out extreme laziness ....turning the pages of a book requires much effort.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

sensationalfrog said:


> mr lynch urges people to take out insurance,


I think, perhaps, that the original point may have been the figures quoted on the estimate for an insurance policy may well cause a heart attack especially if one is over a certain age.

Personally, I think the attempts at having a high-living lifestyle in what may be perceived by many as some form of paradise when the body is not used to it is responsible for a lot of deaths especially getting drunk on the balcony of a flat on the tenth storey. Of course if the said person were to go for even higher-living, say the fifteenth storey, it could make the outcome more certain. :clap2:


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## dunmovin (Dec 19, 2008)

baldilocks said:


> I think, perhaps, that the original point may have been the figures quoted on the estimate for an insurance policy may well cause a heart attack especially if one is over a certain age.
> 
> *Personally, I think the attempts at having a high-living lifestyle in what may be perceived by many as some form of paradise when the body is not used to it is responsible for a lot of deaths especially getting drunk on the balcony of a flat on the tenth storey. Of course if the said person were to go for even higher-living, say the fifteenth storey, it could make the outcome more certain*. :clap2:


That's called "pool cleaning" .... the gene pool


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

dunmovin said:


> That's called "pool cleaning" .... the gene pool


I don't wear them myself, (jeans) especially in this weather, they're too hot. It is one of the advantages you Scots have - you can wear a kilt and let the wind blow free. This is particularly the case if your name is Donald as in 'Donal', fahr's ye troosers' always assuming Auntie Mary hasn't borrowed them again to prevent avian incursions.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

baldilocks said:


> I don't wear them myself, (jeans) especially in this weather, they're too hot. It is one of the advantages you Scots have - you can wear a kilt and let the wind blow free. This is particularly the case if your name is Donald as in 'Donal', fahr's ye troosers' always assuming Auntie Mary hasn't borrowed them again to prevent avian incursions.


Highland Scots are the only true kilt wearers.
Lowlanders wear trews.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

baldilocks said:


> I don't wear them myself, (jeans) especially in this weather, they're too hot. It is one of the advantages you Scots have - you can wear a kilt and let the wind blow free. This is particularly the case if your name is Donald as in 'Donal', fahr's ye troosers' always assuming Auntie Mary hasn't borrowed them again to prevent avian incursions.


Not quite sure where Dunmovin hails from - whether he is an upper or a downer!


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

mrypg9 said:


> Highland Scots are the only true kilt wearers.
> Lowlanders wear trews.


This thing is not quoting properly. The above is what the quote in my last post should have read. To which I replied:

Not quite sure where Dunmovin hails from - whether he is an upper or a downer!


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

baldilocks said:


> This thing is not quoting properly. The above is what the quote in my last post should have read. To which I replied:
> 
> Not quite sure where Dunmovin hails from - whether he is an upper or a downer!


It's OK, I understood


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## Claire la richarde (Jul 6, 2009)

The Foreign Office report for 2009-2010 is out.

Spain, 13,300,000 visitors, 808,000 residents, 1,786 deaths
France, 19,300,000 visitors, 253,000 residents, 527 deaths

For 2008-2009, the figures were
Spain: 17,000,000 visitors, 761,000 residents, 1,825 deaths
France: 14,000,000 visitors, 200,000 residents, 152 deaths

What the hell has been going on in France?


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Claire la richarde said:


> The Foreign Office report for 2009-2010 is out.
> 
> Spain, 13,300,000 visitors, 808,000 residents, 1,786 deaths
> France, 19,300,000 visitors, 253,000 residents, 527 deaths
> ...


At least the 2009/10 figures are fairly comparable between the two countries although quite why the vast difference in visitor numbers, I don't know unless the french connection via the tube works out cheaper, making it more attractive. 

Kinda puts to bed all that crap that was bandied about last year regarding 75% of Brits in Spain were moving back "home" (UK)


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## Claire la richarde (Jul 6, 2009)

baldilocks said:


> At least the 2009/10 figures are fairly comparable between the two countries although quite why the vast difference in visitor numbers, I don't know unless the french connection via the tube works out cheaper, making it more attractive.


Probably something to do with this story BBC News - UK trips abroad in record fall in 2009

"Visits abroad by UK residents fell by 15% in 2009, the fastest rate since the 1970s, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

A total of 58.6 million trips were made last year, 10.4 million fewer than in 2008. 

The ONS report, Travel Trends, shows that although visits abroad had fallen in both 2007 and 2008, these falls were much smaller at 1% and 2.7%."

Also, perhaps, the socio-economic profile of those normally choosing either France or Spain, and the extent to which the economic downturn has affected them.


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