But cramped conditions on the return flight led to blood clots, a lengthy spell in hospital and eventually the loss of her leg.

She successfully sued North West Airlines and last year accepted an out of court settlement following her ordeal seven years ago.

But Mrs Clark, of Gateshead, said she is desperate to warn others of the dangers of flying long distances without taking sensible precautions.

“I didn’t know that because I was taking hormone replacement therapy that I was at a greater risk. I don’t think anyone knew this then.

“But now there is a chance for others to prevent it.”

His temperature soared, particularly at night and he started developing headaches.

His GP suspected that he had malaria, but Andrew checked himself into the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, in London, where after a series of blood tests doctors found he had paratyphoid.

Now Hans recognises the symptoms, and as soon as he starts to feel the characteristic shaking and fever, he books himself into the hospital.

He said: “I had it very seriously once and I would have died had I not been here in the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

“This time I had a smaller dose of malaria and they did not think I had it, but because I had the symptoms I wanted to come here.”

But a few months after he returned to the UK, the self employed digital imaging engineer, noticed he had two sores on his arms.

He said: “My health was pretty good the whole time I was travelling.

“We had been travelling in some pretty remote areas and camping a lot and this included at least one night out in the jungle as well as other late nights.

“We were pretty exposed to a whole variety of insects.”

The first lesion became clear a month after Colin returned and although it caused him no physical discomfort he decided to get it checked out by his GP.

The GP did not recognise what was wrong with Colin. He suggested it could be an infected hair follicle and said Colin should have a course of penicillin.