A DAIRY has been targeted as the likely cause of a salmonella outbreak which has swept Burnley and Pendle, it was revealed today.

More than 20 cases have been reported to the area's Director of Public Health - with many more not officially notified to the authorities.

Environmental health chiefs swooped on a dairy after finding a link between the reported cases and milk supplies.

They found "practices and procedures" and general hygiene were not up to the required standard, said Dr Roberta Marshall, consultant in communicable diseases at East Lancashire Health Authority.

She said preventative measures were taken at the dairy - which she declined to name - and standards were now acceptable.

Dr Marshall said tests on the salmonella, which causes severe diarrhoea and stomach pain, were being carried out at pathology laboratories in Burnley, Preston and London.

She said she was confident that if the dairy was the source of the outbreak the tests would prove it.

"The outbreak now appears to be coming to an end and because of the rumours that have been going around the community, we felt we should re-assure people about the position."

She added that people need not worry about their milk supplies.

A statement from the health authority says a number of possible sources of infection were considered before health chiefs pinpointed the dairy link.

It says that both council environmental health officers and public health chiefs have been involved in investigations.

The report advises that anyone who has diarrhoea for several days should see their doctor and sufferers are advised to drink plenty of fluids.

WATER supply rota cuts could result in a dysentery, says Yorkshire Health Authority public health director Dr Chris Worth.

He sounded his warning as Yorkshire Water said the lack of rainfall meant rota cuts in Todmorden and Halifax were coming ever nearer.

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