We were contacted by a victim of food poisoning at Heston Blumenthal’s Fat Duck restaurant who wanted to expose how he had sent an email out which appeared to be shifting the blame for the Norovirus outbreak onto someone else. We contacted a leading Daily newspaper and it was published the next day.

Poisoned diners start lawsuit against     

'unapologetic' Blumenthal

Top chef Heston Blumenthal is facing legal action from victims of the food poisoning epidemic at his world-renowned Fat Duck restaurant earlier this year.

More than 500 diners were taken ill with Norovirus after eating contaminated oysters at the Berkshire restaurant, which has three Michelin stars. Many are furious that Mr Blumenthal – known to millions for his TV shows and outlandish recipes such as snail porridge – has refused to pay a penny in compensation, even though a report pointed to poor food preparation and criticised the restaurant for taking too long to notify the Health Protection Agency.

Solicitors Hill Dickinson confirmed yesterday that they are acting for boxing promoter Frank Warren and ‘a number of other high-profile figures’.

Television presenter Jim Rosenthal has instructed a different legal firm to seek damages against the 43-year-old chef over what he called his ‘pathetic response’.

The HPA investigation into the outbreak of the ‘winter vomiting bug’, which led to the restaurant being closed for two weeks, found oysters contaminated with human sewage and that razor clams had been inappropriately handled or prepared.

Victims were further angered last week to receive an email from Mr Blumenthal about the HPA report, which they say seemed to be trying to shift the blame from the restaurant in Bray. Part of it said: ‘We are glad that the winter flu bug Norovirus has indeed been identified as the cause’.

Mr Rosenthal, who became ill with his wife Chrissie and two friends after dining at the Fat Duck in February said: ‘He has basically attempted to re-write the HPA report and its conclusions in his favour. 'It is pathetic and a complete PR disaster. There isn’t even a hint of apology.’

Mr Warren said: ‘At first I was extremely sympathetic to Heston Blumenthal, but the way this has been mishandled beggars belief. 'I could not believe what I was reading in this email – it was like we had been sent different reports. ‘I am taking them to court and a lot of other people are too. A simple apology might have ended all this a long time ago.’

Debra Darke, a deputy headteacher from Ilfracombe, Devon, spent £700 on a birthday dinner before she and her husband fell violently ill. She has not even been refunded the cost of their meal. She said last night: ‘The message in the email is that it was just one of those viruses and not the responsibility of the restaurant.’

Greg Plunkett of Hill Dickinson said more diners were joining their lawsuit all the time. He said: ‘We are in discussions with the Fat Duck’s insurance company but we cannot rule court action.’

The HPA said: ‘The report clearly states that there were failures in food preparation. 'To dismiss the cause of the outbreak as being the virus itself is quite inaccurate.’

Mr Blumenthal’s spokesman said: ‘We are reviewing the report, which we only received on September 10, and won’t comment until we have completed that review.’