Five more E.coli cases linked to Surrey farm confirmed

Five more people have contracted E. coli in the outbreak linked to a children's farm. Of the 45 affected, 12 are children being treated in hospital. Four of them remain seriously ill.

Six children are in a stable condition, while the two-year-old twins who were the first victims were described as "improving" by the Health Protection Agency. Godstone Farm in Surrey closed to the public last Saturday. Horton Park Children's Farm in Epsom, Surrey, its sister farm, has also shut.

An HPA spokesman said it was not aware of any outbreak of E. coli O157 there, but explained that the hygiene arrangements had been found "unsatisfactory".

A Horton Park Children's Farm spokesman said: "The farm has no cases of E.coli and this is a preventative measure taken by us to safeguard our customers. Our thoughts are with the children and family and friends of all the people who are suffering because of this unfortunate outbreak."