A POOLE businessman has told of his shock at discovering he was poisoned by drinking from the same cup as Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko.

Steve Atkins, 41, was exposed to a year's worth of radiation in a single dose when he used a cup thought to have been spiked with Polonium 210 - the deadly substance which killed the former KGB man.

The father of one, of Dunyeats Road, Broadstone, was at the Millennium Hotel in London on November 2, the day after Mr Litvinenko's visit.

He told the Echo: "When I was told I had exposure level three, I thought they must mean three out of 10. But there are only three levels."

He added: "Initially I was shocked, but then they explained the dose was nothing to be concerned about."

Mr Atkins, who works in the financial services industry, was on a business trip with ten colleagues, none of whom were affected.

He drank two cups of coffee in the hotel's Pine Bar, just hours after Mr Litvinenko, 43, had met there with Andrei Lugovoi, a former bodyguard with the KGB, and fallen ill.

He added: "I know the barmen were affected a lot more than me so it could have been worse."

The massive dose received by Mr Litvinenko destroyed his cells and caused multiple organ failure. He died more than three weeks later, claiming on his deathbed he had been targeted for his criticisms of the Russian government. The Kremlin has denied any involvement.

The Health Protection Agency has told Mr Atkins his level of exposure - the equivalent to a whole year's worth of background radiation - would not impact on his health. He does now have a slightly increased chance of developing cancer in later life.

He said: "You think that you could get cancer earlier, but there are so many other things which are bad for you - I could get run over. I'm definitely not going to lose sleep about it."

He added: "It's quite bizarre. I've always had a thing about conspiracy theories, so it's quite interesting to be caught in the middle of one. It's a good story for dinner parties."

The Health Protection Agency has tested more than 700 people. Results showed 85 had raised levels of Polonium 210, and a further 52, including Mr Atkins, had had direct contact with the deadly substance. Of those, 17 now have an increased risk to their long-term health.