The owner of a farm at the centre of an E Coli outbreak that has left four children seriously ill has spoken of his "upset" at the situation.

Twelve children, all under the age of 10, are thought to have contracted the dangerous O157 strain of the bug after visiting Godstone Farm in Surrey.

Speaking at the farm, manager Richard Oatway said: "All the staff at the farm are very upset about the E Coli outbreak and we hope that all the children make a full and speedy recovery."

He added: "We have taken the decision to close the farm until the authorities have finished their investigations. These have been very thorough and are still ongoing. We will not reopen the farm until we are satisfied that we have got to the root of the problem and have put in place suitable control measures."

Mr Oatway has run the farm since 1980. It boasts a large range of animals that children can pet and feed, attracting up to 2,000 visitors a day at peak times.

He added: "Our main priority has always been to make sure the farm is safe for everyone who comes here to visit. This includes our own children and grandchildren.

"We have cooperated fully with all the authorities from the very beginning and will, of course, continue to do so.