PUBLIC health bosses have played down fears of a norovirus outbreak in Barrow.

It follows the temporary closure of the Furness Railway Wetherspoon pub after sickness spread among staff.

The pub is in the process of being deep cleaned ahead of reopening to the public.

Drinkers were turned away from the Abbey Road pub on Saturday night and a sign was posted in the window saying it was closed due to 'unforeseen circumstances'.

Wetherspoons spokesman Eddie Gershon confirmed the pub, and its attached hotel, closed down due to an outbreak of sickness among staff.

He said: "There has been an outbreak of sickness among some staff at the pub. As a result we took it upon ourselves to close and are undergoing a professional deep clean.

"At the moment there is no day or time when it will reopen.

"The pub has an excellent track record, is popular and well-maintained.

"Unfortunately some staff have reported sick and we will not reopen until we have enough staff to run the pub and completed the clean."

Cumbria County Council said there was no wider issue with norovirus or other sickness bugs in the town.

It follows several diners becoming ill at the Duke of Edinburgh nearby.

Earlier this month health chiefs from Barrow Council visited after a customer said their whole table became sick after dining there.  

A spokesman for the venue said 90 other diners were served on the day in question and 'no-one else came back with any illness except them'.

The spokesman said the hotel was visited by the council and had been told the group who made the complaint was not 'complying with the investigation'.

"This happens a lot in the industry," said the spokesman.

"If one person in a group passes an illness onto others, they blame the restaurant which is extremely unfair. It's because if one person has something like norovirus and sits with a group of other people, they will likely pass on to them."