"We Thought We Were Going To Die"

Something you don't often get to read when it comes to bird flu victims : a description from two people - who became infected, earlier this month, during the outbreak in Wales - of how they caught the H7 virus, how they were dealt with by the health authorities and what it actually felt like to be ill with bird flu.

In short, they thought they were going to die after a trip to the local market went horrifically wrong :

Lauren Gedman and her partner Mark Kinder, from Sutton Heath, St Helens...described how a trip to buy three chickens and 10 khaki ducklings for their allotment ended in disaster.

Ms Gedman said: “I thought I was going to die. I’m still not fully recovered now and it’s been a total nightmare.

“We are being regularly monitored and neither of us are back to normal.

“It’s been a terrible few weeks.”

The couple visited Frank R Marshall & Co at Chelford market in Macclesfield on May 7.

A week later Ms Gedman fell violently ill and was initially told by doctors that she had a water-based infection.

Ms Gedman was taken to Whiston hospital after complaining of headaches, nausea, and fever.

Mr Kinder fell ill shortly afterwards and spent four days in hospital.

She was eventually taken to hospital, unable to walk or drive, where medics confirmed she had contracted a strain of bird flu.

Mr Kinder fell ill later, and recorded a temperature of 39 degrees. He is still complaining of sneezing after completing his medication.

They are still being monitored by health authorities.