More than 250 trainee soldiers came down Thursday with food poisoning in eastern Sri Lanka after eating bread and fish, a medical officer in the area said.

Some of the trainees fainted and suffered from vomiting at their camp in Henanigala, 290 kilometres east of Colombo, Dr WCK Weeramana said.

At least 125 of the trainee soldiers were admitted to hospital while the others were treated and released, he said.

Food samples have been sent to the government for analysis in what was described as the military's worst food poisoning case.