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British holidaymakers have told of the terrifying moment staff at a Turkish resort staged a mock ISIS-style attack and stormed the pool area with fake guns and cans of 'fuel' - just six week after the Tunisian beach massacre.

Jason Phythian, 43, was relaxing beside the pool at the five-star Grand Yazici Mares hotel in Icmeler when a worker – dressed in Arab clothing – poured liquid marked 'fuel' over him.

The electrician, from Fallowfield, Greater Manchester, then watched in horror as the man pulled out a lighter, while other nearby sunbathers ran for their lives as other 'attackers' ran amok with fake machine guns.
    

The terrified holidaymakers were later informed the ordeal was part of a 'Hollywood-themed poolside show', but many were left outraged and said it resembled the atrocities in Tunisia.

A total of 38 people, including 30 British holidaymakers, were killed when ISIS terrorist Seifeddine Rezgui Yacoubi stormed a popular resort near Sousse, Tunisia, on June 26.

British tour operators immediately suspended holidays to the North African country, with the Foreign Office warning of potential further attacks.

Mr Phythian, who was on a 10-day holiday with five family members to celebrate his father George's 70th birthday, said the incident at the Turkish resort had left them wanting to return to the UK.
    

He toldThe Sun's Mike Ridley: 'There were loads of British people round the pool, and suddenly everyone became terrified.

'I looked around and saw Arab-looking guys stalking around and above the pool carrying big guns.

'One ran up to me with a bucket with 'Fuel' written on the side. He threw it over me and got out a cigarette lighter. I jumped up, not knowing what on Earth was going on.

'It was disgusting to try and make light of Tunisia in that way.'

Mr Phythian, who was a week into his holiday on the Dalmatian coast when the incident occurred last Thursday, complained to hotel staff but said it was dismissed as a prank.

His family, comprising of him and his wife Maureen, his father George, sister Dawn Sutton and her husband David and nine-year-old son Tyler, had paid more than £5,000 to book the sunshine break through tour operator Jet2Holidays.
    

Ms Sutton, 41, also complained about the incident in a review on the hotel's page on Trip Advisor.

She wrote: 'So shocked to see them dressed up. One was dressed in army pants walking round with a gun and pointing it at people.

'Then there were two walking about as Arabs, one with a rifle and one with a container with 'Fuel' written on — it was only water.

'He came up to a family member and poured it on his head, then pretended to light his head. They thought it was entertainment.

'I just thought it was bad taste since what happened in Tunisia.'

Other reviews on Trip Advisor also condemned the poolside actions of the hotel staff.

One recent review, written by Danni909 three weeks ago, said: 'The animation team were running around, throwing water over people who were sunbathing.

'They even managed to soak a poor woman who was lay there reading her kindle and who was also wearing a hearing aid.

'Needless to say, she was not very happy. I'm certainly no kill joy, and it was nice to see the kids having fun, but they should keep their entertainment to those who wish to get involved and not those who are innocently lay on sun loungers minding their own business.'

Jet2Holidays, with whom the Phythian family booked their holiday, told MailOnline that it regretted the incident.

'We are sorry to hear about the distress experienced [by the family] and on hearing this we immediately spoke to the hotel management. They have assured us it was never their intention to cause any offence or upset with their entertainment programme.

'This was a Hollywood themed poolside show, which included the characters Rambo and Superman, and it is always well received by the hotel’s residents.'

'The hotel management now understands that some of the costumes may have caused offense and they will no longer use these in their shows.”