The Woks Cooking eatery on Richard Hesketh Drive in the Westvale area of Kirkby was shut down on Monday after 14 people caught Salmonella.

A number of people – suffering from fever, diarrhoea and vomiting – were diagnosed with food poisoning.

One man told the ECHO he had spent a night in intensive care after his kidneys failed.

Speaking from his sick bed in Fazakerley hospital, he said he was “lucky to be alive”.

He said: “I went to intensive care and my kidneys failed. I also spent four nights in critical care.

“I bought special fried rice and a couple of days later I was ill. I had severe diarrhea and I was vomiting. I called the doctor and the ambulance came out for me. I felt awful.”

Another of those affected by the outbreak was Paula Pierce’s 24-year-old daughter, who ended up on morphine.

Paula, who manages the nearby Railway pub, told the ECHO: “My daughter Chantelle had a steak and kidney pie and hot and sour soup from there a week Monday ago. She wasn’t feeling well later on. She went to the doctors on the Tuesday and was diagnosed with food–poisoning.

A spokesman for Knowsley Council said: “The premises are closed subject to an Emergency Prohibition Order.”

The council said it was investigating a number of cases of Salmonella infection linked to a takeaway establishment in Knowsley.

To date there have been 14 laboratory confirmed cases.

Dr Alex Stewart, from the Cheshire & Merseyside PHE Centre said: “Investigations are still on-going and all public health measures have been put in place.”