A seaside hotel was forced to close after 40 guests were struck down by a stomach virus.

The illness was first noticed when an elderly guest at The Carlton Hotel, in Marine Parade, Eastbourne, complained of severe stomach pains on Wednesday.

Paramedics quickly realised the gastroenteritis virus had spread quickly and called for back-up.

By midnight 12 ambulance staff were treating more than 20 cases and three particularly weak patients were taken to Eastbourne District General Hospital.

A Sussex Ambulance spokesman said: "I haven't heard of something like this on this kind of scale. We obviously get isolated incidents but this is a large number."

Two district nurses are caring for the patients in the hotel and are expected to remain until Monday, along with a GP.

An Eastbourne Down Primary Care Trust (PCT) spokesman said: "Because it is an infection that can spread very easily from one person to another it is best to contain it.

"People who are still poorly are remaining in the hotel and those who have had the symptoms and are now better can leave and go home."

There were 230 guests staying at the hotel when the virus broke out. No staff had contracted the infection, which involves sudden nausea, projectile vomiting and diarrhoea.

Two doctors from the Surrey Sussex Immediate Care Scheme (SIMCAS), which provides emergency voluntary medical attention, helped tend to the sick.

Hailsham GP Dr Alan Pearce said: "I haven't been involved in anything like that before.

"When I was there there were two further GPs and about nine or ten ambulance personnel - and I've not seen that number of people for diarrhoea and vomiting."

Commonly known as the Winter Vomiting Virus, gastroenteritis can last for up to three days and patients must ensure they drink plenty of liquid to avoid dehydration.

Environmental health officers from Eastbourne Borough Council, and staff from the Brighton-based Health Protection Agency and Eastbourne Downs PCT are working together to investigate, monitor and contain the infection. Results from samples collected by environmental health officers are expected to confirm the virus on Saturday.

A hotel spokesman said: "I can confirm there was an outbreak of an airborne virus at the Carlton Hotel which was brought in by one of our guests. There were several cases reported but it is being contained and we are working closely with the Environmental Health Authority."

All three of the hospitalised patients were expected to be discharged by yesterday evening.