TWO wedding parties were struck down with norovirus after celebrating their big days at the same Bournemouth hotel.

Both brides and grooms, along with dozens of their guests, became violently ill after wedding receptions at the Marsham Court Hotel in Russell Cotes Road.

One couple has told how their honeymoon in Devon was ruined when they suffered sickness, diarrhoea and stomach cramps.

And they said "at least 80 per cent" of their 70 guests were affected.

Now bosses at the hotel have closed the doors until Sunday in a bid to contain the virus.

And a wedding celebration planned for this weekend has been moved to an alternative venue with the help of hotel staff.

One groom, who does not wish to be named, spoke to the Daily Echo about his wedding, held on Saturday April 18.

He said: "The wedding day was lovely and everyone was fine but the next day we went to Torquay for a break.

"At about 2am we both became really ill. In the morning my mum phoned to say she was ill, my nan was really poorly and that other people were not well either.

"It's such a shame because it's put such a dampener on the whole wedding."

A guest told the Daily Echo: "Some people were in bed for about 16 hours with sickness. My wife was really ill and we have a 12-week old baby so we're very worried."

A second couple, Mr and Mrs J Legg, were married the previous day.

Mrs Legg said: "We had a wonderful day and the staff could not have been more helpful. The room was lovely, the food was good.

"It is very unfortunate that the hotel had been infected by this awful virus but it by no means the hotel's fault.

"My husband and I and two of our children have been infected along with many guests, its just one of those unavoidable situations. The hotel are taking every measure to rectify the situation."

Marsham Court director Rosie Wallace said: "At this stage we understand this to be an outbreak of norovirus."

She said she is co-operating with environmental health officers and added: "I promptly brought the matter to the attention of the local authority after it became apparent a number of guests had taken ill at the weekend; we have gone well beyond what is required.

"Rather than shut the hotel until Friday, as advised, we have gone a step further and will keep the doors closed until this Sunday to ensure the situation is resolved to the absolute satisfaction of the council and myself.

"As an extra precaution, experts in deep cleaning have been called in. As far as we are aware no-one has been hospitalised.

"Guests have been refunded for unfulfilled accommodation requirements."

She said her family has been running the 87-bedroom, three-star hotel for 28 years and has never encountered a similar situation. The hotel has a five-star food hygiene rating.

Louise Jones, Team Manager for Public Safety at Bournemouth Council, said:“We were contacted by Marsham Court Hotel on Sunday after a number of their guests were taken ill over the weekend. Environmental Health Officers inspected the hotel on Monday. On the basis of the symptoms described initial signs would indicate that it has been caused by the norovirus but this is yet to be confirmed. In the meantime we are working with the hotel, who have been fully co-operative and immediately followed our recommendations to close and undertake a thorough clean of the premises.”