THE leader of Barnet Council hopes to be back at work within the next two days after recovering from swine flu.

Councillor Mike Freer learnt that he had the virus on Friday through a phone conversation with his GP, after suffering from a cold and a “very bad" sore throat.

He said: “It feels very much like ordinary flu, but I understand that everyone reacts differently. The on-line advice is good and it looked as if I had some but not all the symptoms.

“The telephone system from my GP was very efficient and the tamiflu distribution point at Finchley Memorial [hospital] worked effectively.”

Mr Freer has been treated with the antiviral medicine tamiflu and expects to recover fully this week.

He added: “Four days of daytime TV is the worst.”