A SAILOR seriously ill in a Gosport hospital with the flesh-eating bug is continuing his brave fight against the deadly disease.

The Daily Echo exclusively revealed on Wednesday how the man, who has not been identified, was admitted to the Royal Hospital Haslar nine days ago.

It has been established that he is suffering from necrotising fasciitis, a possibly life-threatening infection which occurs when the streptococcus A bacteria mutates.

One of its symptoms is the attack on skin and soft tissues, normally close to an injury or surgical cut.

Last night a Ministry of Defence spokesman described the man's condition as "still very serious".

He is being treated with antibiotics and has undergone surgery.

A chamber, normally used for the recompression of divers suffering from the bends, is also being used to supply intensive oxygen therapy to the Royal Navy employee.

The MOD spokesman said the hyperbaric oxygen chamber was effective in cases where the infec-tion had moved to the chest.

Hampshire's emergency services have played a vital role in the fight to keep the patient alive.

Firefighters, police and ambulance officers made a middle of the night mercy dash to Haslar early on Tuesday after the man's condition suddenly deteriorated and doctors made an urgent request for supplies of O-type blood.

Converted for the new archive on 25 January 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.