Deputy PM Prescott in hospital

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Mr Prescott, who celebrated his 69th birthday on Thursday, is undergoing tests but his condition is not thought to be life-threatening.

The Deputy Prime Minister's Office released a statement, saying: "The DPM has been admitted to hospital. He is undergoing tests as a result of a suspected chest infection."

It was not immediately clear whether Mr Prescott was in his Hull constituency or at his London residence when he was taken ill, and his office declined to name the hospital in which he was being treated.

Mr Prescott, who will leave office along with Prime Minister Tony Blair on June 27, last week returned from a tour of America and the Caribbean, where he visited Jamaica and Barbados.

Mr Prescott has generally enjoyed robust health in his 10 years as DPM, with only a few bouts of illness.

He was admitted to Castlehill hospital in Hull on Christmas Day last year suffering from a kidney stone, and was released later the same day.

Afterwards he thanked the medical staff who had cared for him, announcing: "They do such a brilliant job, 365 days a year, and it was a real pleasure to have my Christmas dinner amongst such dedicated people.

"What would we do without our wonderful NHS?"

Mr Prescott has also suffered from Type 2 diabetes for a number of years, which he manages with medication. His condition was made public in 2002.