Flu all-clear but fan misses out on match

A football-mad Black Country father has spoken of his relief after testing negative for the deadly swine flu virus.

Craig Coleman and his family had faced a nail-biting wait for the all-clear after showing flu-like symptoms following a holiday to Mexico. But it means the father-of-two has missed out on the chance to watch his beloved Wolves lift the championship trophy on Sunday.

Confined to his Walsall home by doctors and unsure when he would get his results, Mr Coleman was unable to bag a ticket to the Molineux for the clash against Doncaster, where the elated crowd will be in a celebratory mood.

On hearing the news yesterday, the 39-year-old rushed to the phone to ring the Molineux ticket office but was devastated to hear the game had already sold out.

Health chiefs are currently waiting for the results of hundreds of tests for swine flu today as the tally of confirmed cases hit 13.

One of the confirmed cases is England's first human-to-human sufferer. Barry Greatorex, aged 42, is quarantined at his home in Chipping Sodbury, south Gloucestershire.

Mr Coleman said from his home in Clayhanger today: "When I was on holiday I had everybody texting me telling me we were promoted and I thought, great, when I get back I'll get a ticket for the next home game.

"But because we had this scare and were told to stay in the house, I haven't been able to do anything and I couldn't organise a ticket because I didn't know if I was going to be quarantined for longer.

"I never thought I'd see Wolves get promoted as champions in my lifetime."

Mr Coleman and his family returned from a two- week holiday in Mexico on Sunday. Soon after, one of his children began to show flu-like symptoms and during the holiday, Mr Coleman and his wife were both taken ill.

"We didn't know anything about swine flu while we were over there," he said.

By Catherine Dalton