Experts investigate E. coli outbreak

One case has been confirmed and two others are being investigated, but all three children, whose ages have not been confirmed, were "well" and had not been admitted to hospital.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) said yesterday that none of the cases was linked to any farm visits.

The children are members of the same family who have mixed socially on several occasions in recent weeks, having barbecues and country picnics together

The response is being led by the Kent Health Protection Unit because the first case was detected there but two suspected victims come from Sussex.

The E. coli strain – O157 – is the same which was responsible for an outbreak at Godstone Farm, near Redhill in Surrey, last year.

A total of 93 people, including 76 children under 10, were infected with E. coli visiting the farm. Among them were three-year-old twins Aaron and Todd Furnell.

A damning report this week said that a "substantial" number of the cases could have been prevented if health chiefs had responded quickly.

The HPA and local health protection officers failed to take appropriate action, the independent inquiry said.

In this latest case, letters informing parents of E. coli O157 have been sent to schools in the areas affected and to GPs, alerting them to the diagnosis and asking them to report any diarrhoea symptoms.

E. coli O157 bacteria usually cause diarrhoea that settles within seven days without treatment.

Lawyers yesterday issued proceedings against Godstone Farm, claiming damages for personal injury and consequential loss.