9:24am UK, Sunday September 13, 2009
Twelve children, all under 10 years old, are being treated in hospital following an outbreak of the vomiting bug E.coli.
The farm has been closed down following the outbreak
Four of them have been described as "quite seriously ill" by the Health Protection Agency (HPA).
They are believed to have caught the bug after visiting Godstone Farm in Surrey.
The HPA said there had been 36 cases of E.coli in the outbreak, the first was detected on August 27.
Dr Angela Iversen, director of the Surrey and Sussex Health Protection Unit, said: "This is a large outbreak of this infection.
The farm's website says it's closed
"The farm owners are co-operating fully and we are working closely with them and with colleagues across health and local authorities to investigate the source.
"Our advice is that the farm should remain closed to visitors while this work goes on."
But Dr Graham Bickler, regional director of the HPA in the affected area, said more children could get the bug.
He said the delayed incubation time of the infection indicated "more cases may occur".
A statement on the farm's website read: "Due to an E.coli outbreak, we have closed the farm until we can make sure it is quite safe for you all to visit us."
The health protection unit is advising anyone who becomes unwell after visiting the farm on August 8 to seek medical advice.
A spokeswoman for the HPA said the children in hospital were all in a stable condition.
She said: "The children are scattered around at different hospitals in the area. They are at the moment in stable conditions."
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