HEALTH checks are being carried out on a cruise liner at Dover today after two passengers were taken ill with Legionnaires' Disease.

They were among seven who complained of feeling ill, and five who were taken to hospital in Stockholm.

The cruise, on board the Fred Olsen liner Black Watch, was cut short and passengers disembarked at Dover last night, two days earlier than planned.

Initial reports indicate that there is no trace of the bacteria on board the ship, but it will be extensively cleaned before it leaves on the next planned cruise to Portugal tomorrow.

The ship was carrrying more than 750 passengers and 300 crew when the problem was first reported. The Captain asked them not to use the showers as a precautionary measure.

The passengers said they had been offered a 25 per cent discount off the cost of their holiday.

Officials from the Kent Health Protection Unit boarded the ship at Dover to carry out a thorough investigation and to supervise the cleaning procedure.