UB40 thank NHS staff after bandmate meningitis scare

Earl Falconer was hospitalised after returning from a trip to Ibiza

Members of band UB40 have thanked the NHS for treating bass player Earl Falconer for meningitis.

The band said he fell ill after returning from a recent trip to Ibiza and was in hospital in Walsall for a number of weeks.

His bandmates say he is now at home and expected to make a full recovery, but would not perform in the near future.

The 66-year-old said he had been due a meningitis jab in January, so had been "a bit unlucky".

In a statement, the band said: "We want to say a huge thank you to the NHS, the wonderful ICU staff and Ward 4 staff at Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust - Walsall Manor Hospital and Community Health who cared for Earl."

They said it had been "life saving treatment" and it was thanks to the NHS staff that he was "expected to make a full recovery from this aggressive infection".

Mr Falconer added: "I would just want to say on a personal note to anybody who is 65 and over, to please get inoculated for meningitis."

He also thanked people for their messages of support and said: "I will definitely be back as soon as humanly possible."

The band says while Earl is recovering, all scheduled dates will be going ahead with Ben Torrens standing in for him.

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