Question for UK Residents

[Potterfanme]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com, "grindieloe" <andie at k...> 
wrote:
> For some odd reason, a phrase that Uncle Vernon says in SS popped 
> into my head today.  I know, I'm sure that happens to all of 
> us... :)  Anyway, the particular phrase, well, I'm not sure what it 
> means... When Uncle Vernon flips over the postcard from Marge and 
> tells Petunia that Marge is ill... "Ate a funny Whelk..."
> What does that mean?
> 
> grindieloe :)

I am not from the UK but I believe a Whelk is a type of shellfish.  
Similar to Scallops.  When he refers to it as being *funny* I took it 
to mean it was bad or spoiled.  In other words she got food poisoning.
Susan