A man says he was “knocked for six” after contracting E.coli at the start of the month but has thanked the NHS for the care that he received.

Andrew Walker, 57, was admitted to Royal Preston Hospital on December 2 having felt unwell for around two weeks previously, though it was not until his stay in hospital was coming to an end that he knew just how serious it had been.

Andrew, from Darwen, said he had originally gone to the doctor with a water infection and had been given antibiotics, but while away with his wife at the end of that course he became ill again.

He told the Lancashire Telegraph: “We have a static caravan in Garstang. My wife asked if I was alright as it looked like I had been sweating, but I couldn’t get warm. I was absolutely frozen.

“She took me to a pharmacy, and I told them I’d been on a course of anti-biotics, have I got withdrawal symptoms or something like that. They took my temperature, and it was 41.5°C.

“They said to not even ring 111 or 999, just go straight to A&E. My wife took me straight to Preston.

“The symptoms I was showing were for E.coli and my discharge sheet from the hospital says E.coli as well. I was on a strong course of antibiotics for that for about 10 days. They let me out of hospital once they could get my temperature under 38°C.

“I’m what I would say is a normal, fit and well, 50-odd bloke who’s still quite active at work, but it’s proper knocked me for six. I’m probably only at about 65 per cent now, I’m just so tired.

“It’s not a nice thing to have, that’s for sure. I would hope and pray that nobody gets it that’s of a weaker nature.

“I couldn’t thank the NHS enough. I think they’re absolutely great.”

There have been around 30 confirmed cases of Shiga toxin-producing E.coli (Stec) across England and Scotland since July, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

One person from Scotland with the infection has now died.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) announced a precautionary recall of four products from cheesemaker Mrs Kirkham’s Lancashire Cheese on Christmas Eve because of possible E.coli contamination and added a fifth product on December 27.

Andrew said it was “strange” that three or four weeks after he had it there had been an outbreak of the disease, but added: “For me to say I’ve got something from them [the supermarkets selling the products] I couldn’t say that, that wouldn’t be fair.

“It’s just a coincidence I’ve had it. I’m not apportioning any blame.”

The recalled cheeses are: Mrs Kirkham’s Mild and Creamy Lancashire, Mrs Kirkham’s Tasty Lancashire, Mrs Kirkham’s Mature Lancashire, Mrs Kirkham’s Smoked Lancashire, and No 1 Waitrose and Partners Farmhouse Kirkham’s Lancashire cheese.

The agencies said the products might be contaminated with Stec.

Symptoms caused by Stec organisms include severe diarrhoea, abdominal pain, and sometimes haemolytic uremic syndrome – a serious condition that can lead to kidney failure and can be fatal.