An Oxfordshire rugby fan has spoken out about his ordeal at being hospitalised along with two friends after travelling to France to watch the Rugby World Cup.

Tim Morgan, 38, was taken ill alongside his friends after enjoying a night out in Bordeaux at the city's Tchin Tchin winebar.

The trio first thought they were suffering from hangovers on Sunday (September 10) morning before attending Wales' win against Fiji.

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However, the next day, they struggled to eat prior to flying home due to the illness and by Tuesday, Mr Morgan had been struck with severe diarrhoea, blurred vision and had lost the ability to swallow.

Two of his friends had similar symptoms, as well as suffering from vomiting and drooping eyelids.

The group were hospitalised after suffering severe symptoms of botulism, a rare and potentially deadly condition caused by toxins from clostridium botulinum bacteria.

The condition came from eating sardines that evening, which left them with the potentially fatal illness.

British, Irish and American tourists are among a number of people who are being treated in hospital after eating sardines at the restaurant. 

Oxford Mail: The Oxfordshire man had attended the Rugby World Cup in France The Oxfordshire man had attended the Rugby World Cup in France (Image: PA)A 32-year-old woman from Greece has died, whilst it was last reported that 15 others who also ate the fish have been admitted to the hospital too with six of those in intensive care.

Oxfordshire solicitor Mr Morgan told The Times: "It was bad luck. We didn't actually order them per se.

"We just said to the owner 'Can you bring us enough food for the four of us with some local wine?' One of the things he picked for us was the sardines."

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On Tuesday (September 12) he was contacted by public health authorities in France who told him to go to A&E and he was told at Reading's Royal Berkshire Hospital he had botulism.

Mr Morgan waited until Friday (September 15) when he received an antitoxin and is now home with his family he is expected to make a full recovery.

According to the NHS, botulism attacks the nerves, brain and spinal cord, and can cause paralysis and if untreated, it can spread quickly to muscles that control breathing and is fatal in around 5 to 10 per cent of cases.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said they were notified of a 'small number of British nationals' who were affected.

The agency issued a warning urging people to contact their local emergency department immediately if they had eaten at the restaurant between September 4 and September 10.

A UKHSA statement said: "Individuals who have been identified by the French authorities and have returned to the UK are receiving medical attention."

It added that 'there may be more people now in the UK who ate at the Bordeaux restaurant whom the French authorities have not been able to trace'.