A TV personality has shared his harrowing experience of coronavirus in the hopes it will serve as a warning to people not following social distancing guidelines.

Prudhoe resident Kenny Toal, who is well known for his work with ITV, is still recovering from the virus after contracting it earlier this month.

Unusually, he did not suffer from a cough or fever - but instead felt sick and had a headache.

Kenny explained: “I don’t think I can put into words how horrendous it is, and I was a ‘mild’ case, not ill enough to go to hospital.

“It made me realise how ill people are, because of how ill me and my little boy were.

“I was quite blasé at the start, I’d read that thing that it’s just like the flu.

“I developed a pain in my chest on the Wednesday. It was like having something lodged in my windpipe, but I still had no fever or cough.

“Overnight, it went from nought to 60, and by Friday I just couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t get air into my lungs. I couldn’t stand up, I couldn’t speak a sentence without taking a breath.”

Kenny eventually phoned 111, who sent an ambulance out - but paramedics said he wasn’t poorly enough to go into hospital.

At the GP the following day, the doctor said he was “99 per cent” sure Kenny had coronavirus, and that not all cases had the typical symptoms of fever and a cough.

However, he was not tested as he did not require hospital treatment. 

Kenny, who is now working from home again, hoped that his experience, particularly with the unusual symptoms, would encourage people to be more careful. He continued: “I’m nervous to go out to the shops now. I’m still struggling with breathing.

“When I see those people still taking chances, and crowded parks - it’s unbelievable. It’s been a wake up call to how precious health is.”