A popular restaurant is to remain closed until the end of the week, after a suspected norovirus outbreak.

The owner of Mu Mu in Maidstone made the decision to temporarily close down on Saturday night after fears the contagious bug had led to dozens of diners and staff falling ill.

The restaurant reported the incident to Maidstone Borough Council's Environmental Health team, who are now investigating.

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But despite previous hopes that business would resume today, restaurateur Ciaran O’Quigley says he will now reopen on Friday.

He said: "We had a company in to fumigate the place and this morning they have given us the highest hygiene rating possible.

"I can open today, but have chosen not to because we destroyed the food and drinks as part of the process."

He added that he had been touched by the support he had received from customers, following the closure.

Mr O’Quigley says that a couple of customers had rung the restaurant last Thursday and Friday to say they were feeling poorly. Claims of potential food poisoning were looked into, and ruled out.

It was only on Saturday evening, when members of staff became ill, that norovirus was suspected, he said.

The highly contagious bug is known to cause sickness and diarrhoea, and is prevalent in the winter months.