A MORRIS dancer has died in the William Harvey Hospital at Ashford of legionaries' disease.

Peter Taylor, 63, from St Mary's Bay, near Hythe, is to have contracted the disease during a trip to Lille in France with the East Kent Morris Men. He had played the accordion with the group for more than 20 years.

Two other members of the East Kent Morris Men have shown slight flu like symptoms since their return from France. They have shown no further signs of the disease progressing and are undergoing tests to verify if they had been exposed.

Mr Taylor, who leaves a widow, Frances, was a practising Roman Catholic. He worked as a teacher at Dymchurch Primary School between 1964 and 1991.

Jane Jones, head teacher at Dymchurch Primary School said: "He was a very creative man in many respects and was particularly interested in music. He played the accordion and he accompanied the children musically throughout his time at the school. He was a delightful man and was much loved by everyone who knew him."

Friend and fellow member of the East Kent Morris Men, Pete Thomas, said: "It is believed that the legionella was contracted during a trip to France two weeks ago. The side had spent the weekend dancing at The Braderei in Lille. We danced around the Braderei introducing the French to our brand of English culture.

"The side has been deeply affected by this tragedy and will miss Peter both as a friend and as a well-respected Morris Musician."

Clinical Director of the Kent and Medway Infection Control and Health Protection Unit, Dr Mathi Chandrakumar, said: "At this stage it appears most likely that he contracted the disease while on a visit to France and Belgium, where he stayed overnight in a hotel.

"There is no need for people to worry because Legionnaires Disease is not passed from person to person. It can only be caught by inhaling very fine aerosol droplets of infected water from, for example, the steam of a hot shower."