A SCOTTISH couple well known in politics narrowly escaped being poisoned by noxious fumes while holidaying in a Bulgarian hotel.

Dunfermline East MSP Helen Eadie, her Fife councillor husband Bob, daughter Fiona, son-in-law Gavin and baby grandchild Alex are holidaying in the Black Sea resort of Nessebar.

But their holiday has been blighted by the incident that left a Bulgarian woman and two children hospitalised when the hotel’s ventilation system appeared to start spewing out sulphur dioxide and hydrocyanide methane.

A spokeswoman at Mrs Eadie’s constituency office said the MSP was trying to get information from hotel staff to ensure steps are taken to avoid a repeat, but her task is hampered by the language barrier.

The family are staying at the five-star Palace Hotel where the horror unfolded, but the Eadies were at first unaware and it was only when a friend called them to ask if they were okay that the full story emerged.

It appears that fumes were caused as materials in the building began releasing gases in the hot Bulgarian summer as temperatures soar above 30C.

The gases hit the upper levels of the hotel and Mrs Eadie, who has long-established links with the country and is honorary patron of the Scottish-Bulgaria Association, believed she was lucky enough to escape without injury as she was in accommodation on a floor only one level lower.

It is thought the air conditioning system in the hotel operates a separate system for the top floor to that used in the rest of the hotel and that the fumes were only being spread through that one system.

It was in fact a Bulgarian friend who now lives in west Fife who alerted the Eadies.

Zhivko Gulaboff, who lives in Dalgety Bay with his Scottish wife Diane, was visiting Plovdiv when he saw the incident unfold in TV news reports.

Knowing they were at the hotel, he sent a text asking if they were okay.

Mrs Eadie immediately sprang into action, questioning hotel staff but was told not to worry.

She has been trying to establish the facts and is using her contacts to make sure information being given to her is correct to ensure the safety of all the hotel guests.