After a week-long stay in hospital to recover from accidentally drinking oven cleaner, Leslie Pryce was so thankful for the way he was treated and nursed back to health that he wanted to show his appreciation.

But instead of sending a card or flowers to the nurses and medical staff who cared for him he decided to cook them lunch and bring it to their team room in the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.

The grateful hotel worker laid on a luncheon with enough food for 60 people.

"I went to the hospital and I found they were very good people. And after what I experienced I wanted to give something back," said Mr. Pryce, of St. George's.

"So often you read negative comments from people about the way they have been treated. Well, I found they really responded in a professional way and they treated me as part of the family.

"The doctors and nurses attended to me and put in every effort and my health came back in a short time. They deserved some kind of recognition."

Mr. Pryce ended up in hospital after a mix-up led to him drinking from a mineral water bottle that had been refilled with oven cleaner.

After a week of care at KEMH he was back on his feet and decided to use his cooking skills to put on a luncheon and deliver it in a van to the team room for the nurses and staff of Coopers Ward.

The luncheon featured salmon, chicken, corn and stir fry vegetables.

Sheila Whittaker, clinical nurse manager of Coopers Ward, said the gesture by Mr. Pryce deeply touched the staff who had cared for him.

"It was fantastic. The staff really appreciated it and it was great for morale, they don't often see such appreciation for the work they do. To have this come from a patient was special," she said.