But things quickly changed and their whole world was turned upside down within a few fateful hours.

Thirty-four-year-old Eamon, a mortgage adviser, and his thirty-two-year-old wife Antoinette, along with their three children, found themselves at the centre of a media onslaught.

In the following statement, the couple set out their side of the story:

On Friday, contrary to various reports, Mr and Mrs McGuckin did not consume excess alcohol when they went to the restaurant for their meal. They left their apartment at 7pm and went to the play park beside the restaurant where they stayed until 7.30pm. They then arrived at the restaurant where they ordered their meal and had their first alcoholic drink of the day. They moved onto the communal area where they played pool with other guests from the resort. The amount of alcohol they consumed between the hours of 8pm and 10pm would not have been sufficient to render them incapable of being responsible parents.

They returned to the hotel before 10pm. Antoinette became violently ill on arrival at the foyer of the hotel and required assistance from the management. Eamon arranged with the hotel management to care for the children whilst he would accompany Antoinette to the hospital. Hotel management agreed to this until the parents returned. The parents left with the paramedics in the belief that once Antoinette’s condition was established and treated they would return to the hotel to their children.

The official report from Loule Health Centre confirms that Eamon was conscious, orientated and helpful with staff whilst his wife was unconscious. The British Consulate had requested a full report from the health centre upon the instructions of the couple. This full report informed that there had been tests carried out for blood pressure, pulse and blood sugar count.

Upon Antoinette gaining consciousness at 4.45am, Eamon contacted Health Centre reception in order to arrange transport back to the hotel as they were very anxious to be re-united with their children as soon as possible. Health Centre Medical staff removed drips from Antoinette before discharge.

On return to the apartment block at 5am they could not ascertain the whereabouts of the children until 6am. A member of staff informed them that their children were safe in a home in Faro, but no action could be taken until 8am when the hotel manager would be available. The parents both went to the hotel manager at 7.45am who informed them that as a result of paramedics being called the police also had been called. The police informed hotel management that the children would have to be taken into protective custody. The hotel manager informed the couple that they needed to contact the police to gain access to their children.