A child has died after contracting E.coli, the Health Protection Agency said yesterday.

The victim, understood to be a toddler, died at the end of September, although the source of the infection is not known.

The death of the child, from Devon, is not being linked to an outbreak of E.coli at a farm attraction in the country last month.

A Health Protection Agency spokesman said: “The HPA, with local partners, has been investigating a case of E.coli O157 infection in a child from Devon and who recently died.

“Our thoughts are with the family at this time, and no further details are being released due to patient confidentiality.

“The investigation found no clear source for the infection and no other cases have been linked to this child’s infection.”

The death is not being linked to last month’s closure of part of the World of Country Life attraction, at Exmouth in East Devon.

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