TWO hospital wards have been closed after patients were hit by a sickness bug.

Eleven patients in the Duchess and Graham wards at Scarborough General Hospital have gone down with the illness, believed to be caused by the Norwalk virus.

The bug causes sickness and diarrhoea and the symptoms last for up to 48 hours.

Three hotels in the resort, the Royal, the Grand and Southlands, have also been hit by the same bug in recent weeks.

Scarborough NHS Trust communications manager Gilly Collinson said: "Tests are being carried out.

"The virus has not been identified but it is quite likely to be Norwalk. Nationally, this virus seems to be more common than usual.