A MAN who contracted swine flu after a trip to the theatre has spoken of the “severe” symptoms he faced.

Ed Beavan, 32, a former Echo reporter in south Essex, is now recovering after receiving the anti-viral drug Tamiflu, but his case comes to light as a third person in the UK was confirmed to have died from the illness.

Mr Beavan, who is the son of former vicar Hugh Beavan, who retired from St Mary’s Church, Burnham, in April, said he believes he contracted the illness while on a trip to the Globe Theatre in London, on June 20.

He said: “It hit me on Saturday night when I got the shivers.

“I thought it was food poisoning at first. I was feeling really rough, and thought I had eaten something bad.

“Monday and Tuesday were awful – I was vomiting, had diarrhoea and a fever – it was the worst I have ever felt.

“I went to the doctor and he said he thought it might be swine flu – he took a couple of swabs and sent them off. I got the call on Thursday night confirming it.

“I was pretty sure I had it anyway, as it was so severe.”

After taking Tamiflu, Mr Beavan is due to return to work as a journalist at the Church of England Newspaper tomorrow, after ten days off sick.

Mr Beavan, who now lives in Bethnal Green, added: “I wouldn’t wish it on anyone, but it seems inevitable that a lot of people will get it at some stage.”

So far in the East of England, there have been 205 confirmed cases of swine flu, which was first discovered in Mexico.

On June 26 alone, 47 new cases were confirmed.

Nationally 4,250 people have been diagnosed, with two people from Scotland, and a nine-year-old girl in Birmingham dying from the virus.

The huge number of cases led to the World Health Organisation declaring a global pandemic for the first time in 40 years.