Anger after E.coli farm remained open to public

Thirty-six people, including 12 children, have been taken ill with the potentially lethal bacteria after visiting Godstone Farm in Surrey. Three children are still critically ill.

Godstone Farm, which allows children to touch, feed and interact with farm animals, was linked to a case of E.coli on August 27.

The Health Protection Agency introduced non-contact measures on September 3 which it said should have been enough to contain the outbreak.

But parents expressed their anger after the farm remained open to thousands of visitors until Saturday (September 12), a full 9 days after the authorities became aware of the risk.

One mother from Kent, whose two-year-old twin boys are in hospital after visiting the farm on August 31, told reporters the authorities had moved too slowly.

“If they had just shut the place down to investigate, my sons would not be in hospital on kidney dialysis machines.

“They are still in hospital, my partner and I are taking turns to be there with them. One has had a blood transfusion. The doctors say it could be weeks until they are in a fit state to come home,” she said.

The HPA defended its response. A spokesman said: “This action has been taken in previous incidents and is both a proportionate and effective response for the scale of incident at that stage.”

The spokesman added that anyone who visited the farm after August 8 should seek medical advice if they become unwell.

Experts have warned the outbreak could become one of the largest seen in the UK.

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