A GRIEVING husband who could not afford to bring his wife's body home to Bradford after she died on a sunshine break to Benidorm today issued a stark warning to others not to travel without insurance.

With 50,000 passengers expected to pass through Leeds Bradford Airport this weekend, dad-of-three James Kellett has spoken out to warn fellow Bradfordians of the tragic consequences of not having insurance.

With his calls backed by the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA).

The 47-year-old was forced to sleep on benches and scrounge for food when his wife, Diana, fell ill at the end of their holiday.

When the 48-year-old died abroad he was left with a €10,500 bill to fly her home and so instead donated her organs to Alicante General Hospital in exchange for it cremating her body.

Mrs Kellett, who was a care worker, was taken ill on a transfer to the airport at the end of the couple's ten-day holiday.

A doctor said she needed to go to hospital where she was diagnosed a brain aneurysm and died four weeks later in intensive care.

Mr Kellett, of Griffe Drive, Wyke, said he was left alone and broke and received no British Consulate help because he had no insurance.

"It was the first time we'd ever travelled without insurance. Diana had booked the trip for us because we needed a break and she'd forgot," he said.

Mr Kellet's boss sent him some money but he had to sleep on benches outside Alicante General Hospital and scrounge for food so he could stay close by.

The dad-of-three was told it would cost €10,500 to fly his wife's body home but because Diana was an organ donor the hospital offered to pay the € 3,500 to have her cremated there.

"No way did I have that kind of money. We were stuck. They later told me that Diana's organs saved five lives which is the only comfort I have.

"I was at the cremation and her brother flew over but no-one else. It has devastated our family, the children took it hard they never saw their mother again," he added.

Mr Kellett, who works for Resin Drives in Low Moor, is trying to piece his family's life together again after the ordeal last summer and wanted to warn other people planning holidays to take out full travel insurance.

"They must take out travel insurance otherwise the consequences are immense. No one wants to think terrible things are going to happen when you are looking forward to something so much, but sadly for us, we are proof that the worst can."

The Foreign Office, did not comment on the case, but advises people to get insurance before they travel. It can help British nationals abroad, but cannot fund extended stays and does not take responsibility for finding accommodation.

ABTA spokesman Sean Tipton said: "Every year we see tragic incidents of people being placed in terrible situations because they have travelled uninsured.

"Travel insurance will cover your medical expenses, the living costs of a companion if you have a lengthy stay in hospital and also the cost of an air ambulance.

"Many people rely on the European Heath Insurance card when travelling to Europe but this will only cover you for state medical cover and none of these extra costs."