One of the 30 diners struck down by an outbreak of salmonella after eating at the same Hampshire restaurant has described his “two weeks of hell” battling the infection.

George Williams, 20, became so unwell he ended up in hospital where doctors feared he might have Crohn’s Disease, a chronic bowel condition.

However medics finally diagnosed salmonella after further tests.

George has been suffering with vomiting, diarrhoea and stomach cramps for the past fortnight.

He is one of 30 people, including a three-year-old child, struck down by food poisoning after eating at The Real China in Eastleigh.

The town centre restaurant, the only Hampshire branch of the chain’s more than 20 UK restaurants, has closed voluntarily while the environmental health team at Eastleigh Borough Council investigates, as revealed by the Daily Echo on Saturday. The venue remains shut until the council and Public Health England pin down the source of the outbreak and are satisfied there is no longer a health risk.

The council has traced the outbreak to July 11 when George, who works in telesales in Romsey, dined at the restaurant with friends.

He first became unwell two days later and has been unable to retain any food in his body for long.