A BARROW family has been left stranded in a "living hell" which could go on for two months after their four-year-old son broke his leg on holiday.

Rachel and Karl Barton took their three children, Tegan, Jacob and Alfie away for a family holiday to Benidorm last Monday, flying out from Glasgow Airport.

While playing on a slide at the Magic Excalibur resort, four-year-old Alfie fell and broke his femur, sparking the beginning of what Mrs Barton has described as "every parent's worst nightmare".

"He was playing on the slide, and I told him to get off," she said.

"He actually turned round to me and said 'don't worry mum, I won't break my leg, I'm Spider-man'. And then he fell."

The Bartons are spending up to €260 a day in taxi fees so they can take turns in sitting at their son's hospital bedside while also looking after 11-year-old Tegan and nine-year-old Jacob, who has Tourette's, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and an autism spectrum condition.

Mrs Barton, who works in the medical records at Furness General Hospital in Barrow, says the travel insurance company has refused to fly Alfie home and that he might need to remain in Alicante for up to two months for traction management, an operation and recovery.

The 38-year-old, of Oxford Street, Barrow, struggled to hold back the tears as she described their desperate situation on the phone at Alicante General Hospital - 40 minutes away from their holiday resort.

"I don't want him operated on here, he'll end up malnourished," she said.

"The doctors don't speak English, Alfie's not eaten for three days because the food here at Alicante General Hospital is awful, it's just not what he's used to. All they'll give him for the pain is paracetamol, I'm at my wit's end."

The Bartons paid around £23 for a holiday insurance policy with Go Panda, a firm underwritten by HCC. The Evening Mail has contacted HCC and Go Panda.

The Bartons were set to fly home tomorrow with little Alfie due to begin at Dane Ghyll Primary School next week.

Mrs Barton's mother has since flown out to help look after the children, but the family are desperate to have Alfie flown home to be treated back in Britain. Mr and Mrs Barton have resorted to using a mobile phone translation app in an attempt to communicate with the doctors.

Mrs Barton added: "We just want to bring Alfie home, that's our main priority. I never want to have a family holiday abroad again.

"All I want to do is make my son feel better. There's only room for one of us in the hospital room, and because no one speaks English we can't leave him even for a minute.

"Karl will stay here with him and I'll have to fly home with the kids. It's one hell of a mess."

Mr Barton, who was set to start a new job at electrical firm Bowker on Monday, has since called on social media in a bid to raise awareness about his family's plight.

In a post on Facebook, he wrote: "You wouldn't treat a dog how our son is being treated. We really need any help or advice.

"Me or my wife need to stay with him 24/7 but with us having two other dependants here it is proving to be a living hell (my mother in law has flown out to help). My stepson has ASC, ADHD & Tourette's and is finding all this really difficult.

"We will be contacting the British consulate again first thing in the morning to see if there is anything they can help with. We are in a living hell. Please help."