A 66-year-old Borehamwood woman died after catching legionnaires' disease from a leisure centre spa bath in Somerset, it emerged this week.

The woman died at Barnet Hospital, in February, following a visit to the Cricket St Thomas Hotel and Leisure Centre, near Chard, earlier that month.

Her death was not connected with the disease until her husband received a questionnaire, sent out by the NHS Somerset Health Protection Unit to people who had used the leisure centre and may have been infected.

The woman's husband realised his wife had suffered symptoms similar to those outlined before she died, and subsequent tests confirmed legionnaires' disease had caused her death.

The woman, who has not been named, is the only person to have died out of 11 cases of the disease so far confirmed by the health protection unit, which has been trying to trace 4,000 people who may have used the leisure centre.

Unit spokesman Paul Courtney said of all those diagnosed with the disease had used the spa bath during February. Regarding the woman's death, he added: "Our condolences go to the family."

The spa has been closed following the outbreak of the disease, which is contracted from inhaling water spray from a contaminated source and causes fever, chills and a cough.