E.coli police investigate butcher

School dinner take up has dropped in area hit by E.coli, survey found

Police have confirmed that a number of sites including a butcher shop have been investigated in connection with the south Wales E.coli outbreak.

Officers visited W Tudor at High Street in Treorchy for a short time on Friday, during which the shop traded as normal.

The shop owners said they did not want to comment on the visit.

Meanwhile, a BBC survey suggests the number of children eating school meals has fallen significantly in many of the areas worst affected by the outbreak.

In Rhondda Cynon Taf, 8% fewer children are taking school meals.

Caerphilly, Newport and the Vale of Glamorgan have also seen a drop and in Blaenau Gwent, 15% fewer primary pupils have had school meals since September.

SCHOOLS AFFECTED IN RCT Abertaf Primary; Blaengwawr Primary; Pengeulan Primary; Cwmdare Primary; Rhigos Primary; Glenboi Primary; Cwmbach Infants; St John the Baptist Secondary; Penygraig Infants; Maesycoed Primary; Cynon Infants; Caradog Primary; Aberdare Town Church School; Capcoch Primary; Comin Juniors; YGG Lwyncelyn; Cwmlai Primary; Penyrenglyn Community Primary; Hirwaun Primary; Parc Lewis Primary; Treorchy Comprehensive; Glantaf Infants; Ynyswen Infants; Hawthorn Primary; Ysgol Yr Eos, Penygraig; YGG Abercynon; Mountain Ash Comprehensive; Ton Pentre Infants

School food has been in the headlines with celebrity chef Jamie Oliver's campaign on quality, and the E.coli outbreak.

The E.coli outbreak, which has been linked to meat supplier John Tudor and Son of Bridgend, again highlighted the issue of children's food.

Since the outbreak was detected on 18 September, 161 cases of E.coli have been identified in 42 schools and one boy - five-year-old Mason Jones from Deri, Bargoed - has died.

South Wales Police are leading a joint investigation into Mason's death and the outbreak.

David Davies, head at Hawthorn Primary in Rhondda Cynon Taf, said numbers of pupils taking school dinners had dropped.

SCHOOLS AFFECTED IN MERTHYR TYDFIL Bedlinog Primary; Troed y Rhiw Infants; Pen y Dre Secondary; Gellifaelog School

He added: "Before the outbreak, we had about 150 children having school dinners.

"With the outbreak, it dropped by 10% down to about 125 or 130.

"As a parent myself, I would have concerns as well and not knowing where the outbreak was coming from, it must have been a big concern for all parents."

In Blaenau Gwent, there has been a 15% fall in the number of children taking school meals, according to the survey for the BBC's Good Morning Wales radio programme.

SCHOOLS AFFECTED IN CAERPHILLY Upper Rhymney Primary; Ysgol Yr Castell; Cwrt Rawlin Primary; Rhydri Primary; Hendre Infants; Deri Primary; Greenhill Primary, Gelligaer; Ysgol Gymreig, Trelin, Pengam

Godfrey Lewis, headteacher in Glanhowy Primary, Tredegar, said Jamie Oliver's campaign led to concerns among some parents over their quality.

Mr Lewis said: ""I firmly believe that a child's diet has an impact on the way that they learn and therefore I think the quality of the food is essential.

"I think that perhaps more fresh food, fresh fruit and vegetables, would be advantageous."

Welsh Education Minister Jane Davidson said she wanted to reassure parents school meals were safe.

SCHOOLS AFFECTED IN BRIDGEND Archbishop McGrath Secondary; Ynysawdre Comprehensive

Ms Davidson added: "School kitchens have already been cleared as the possible cause of the infection.

"I understand that control measures were put in place at all the affected schools to prevent the spread of the germ."

She added: "We are also currently reviewing school meals and... my officials have been visiting schools across Wales and have enjoyed excellent school meals whilst doing so.

"While it must remain a matter for individual parents to decide whether or not their children should continue to have school meals, I hope in reaching that decision they will be reassured by this statement."