Nearly 200 people have fallen ill and after suffering salmonella poisoning linked to pork scratchings.
According to the Food Standards Agency (FSA), some snacks made by Tayto Group at its factory in Bolton have been linked to an outbreak which has left 176 people suffering vomiting, diarrhoea and fevers between September 2020 and the present date.
A selection of Mr Porky, Jay’s, and The Real Pork Crackling Company products have now been recalled and withdrawn from sale by several supermarkets and the company itself.
Production has also been halted.
Public Health England (PHE) confirmed to the BBC that 12 people have been hospitalised after consuming the snacks.
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We are issuing advice to consumers not to eat several pork scratching products linked to salmonella poisoning.
In a recall alert, the FSA issued further details about the snacks, which have best before dates up to and including 19 February 2022, and Tina Potter – Head of Incidents at the FSA – said it was “really important that consumers follow this advice to avoid the risk of becoming ill with salmonella poisoning”.
She added: “The food business involved has voluntarily suspended its production to put additional controls in place to improve the safety of their products.
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“They have decided on a voluntary basis to withdraw and recall all of the products within shelf-life produced at this site.”
Some snacks made by Tayto Group at its factory in Bolton have been linked to an outbreak / Credit: Google Maps
Dr Lesley Larkin, of the gastrointestinal pathogens unit at PHE, said: “We have established a link between the 176 cases based on the analysis of data obtained through whole genome sequencing and epidemiological investigations.
“These investigations, together with those carried out by local authorities, have indicated the source of infection is pork scratchings produced by a single company in the UK.
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“The Food Standards Agency has acted on these findings to mitigate any further risk to public health from the contaminated food.”
A spokesperson for Tayto Group Ltd – which operates from six sites across the UK manufacturing a range of products including pork scratchings, crisps, and popcorn – told the BBC: “The safety of our products is of the utmost importance, which is why we have taken the decision to initiate a precautionary recall for some products.
“We are working closely with the local environmental health team and the FSA at this time.”
Featured Image – Mr Porky
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No trams to run on three major Greater Manchester lines this Easter bank holiday weekend
Emily Sergeant
People are being urged to ‘plan ahead’ as no trams are set to run on three major Greater Manchester Metrolink lines this weekend.
As part of a continuing £150 million investment in the Metrolink network across the region, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has announced that more than 1km of track will be replaced on the Altrincham line, and work will also take place between Trafford Bar and Deansgate-Castlefield to prepare for full track replacement later in the year.
As a result, there will be no trams on the Altrincham, Eccles, and Trafford Park lines this Easter bank holiday weekend all day from Friday 3 to Monday 6 April.
On top of these line closures, there is also set to be disruption across other parts of the network too, as on the East Didsbury and Manchester Airport lines, trams will run to Firswood only, and services on the Rochdale line will terminate at Exchange Square.
To keep people moving over the four-day weekend, replacement buses will run between all the affected stops, TfGM has confirmed.
Anyone using a replacement bus, however, will still need a valid Metrolink ticket or a one-day Bee bus ticket to travel, and customers will be able to use all existing options to buy these, as they will not be able to buy a ticket or pay for the fare on the replacement buses themselves.
No trams will be running on three major Greater Manchester lines this Easter bank holiday weekend / Credit: TfGM
Replacement buses are said to be calling at ‘all affected stops’ along the lines, so customers are being told not to worry about that.
Speaking ahead of the improvement works being carried out this weekend, Ian Davies, who is the Network Director for Metrolink at TfGM, said: “The first main upgrades of the year get under way over the Easter weekend, as our £150m programme to improve our network continues.
“We’ll be doing everything we can to minimise disruption to passengers while we carry out this essential work to ensure our tram network remains reliable, resilient and safe for years to come.”
TfGM has assured that staff will be out and on-hand across the network this weekend, but is urging anyone travelling to plan for their journeys ahead of time to make sure they go as smoothly as possible.
Looking ahead to the rest of the month, no trams will run between Piccadilly Gardens and Ashton-under-Lyne on Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 April while the track is repaired, and a further weekend closure for track repairs on the Ashton line will take place on Saturday 25 April and Sunday 26 April.
Find out more and plan ahead on the Bee Network’s dedicated webpage here.
Featured Image – Janus Boye
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Three men arrested after ‘shocking’ Salford pub fight leaves victim in life-threatening condition
Emily Sergeant
Three men have been arrested as police continue to appeal following a ‘shocking’ incident in Salford over the weekend.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) explained that, at around 2:51am yesterday (Sunday 29 March), officers were called to reports of an assault at a pub on Liverpool Road in Irlam, where it’s understood that an incident involving several males took place.
Police quickly attended the scene, and one male was rushed to hospital.
The man sustained serious injuries and was taken to hospital for treatment, where he’s said to remain in a life-threatening condition.
While officers are working ‘at speed’ on their investigation to establish the full circumstances of this incident, a scene is currently in place, and road closures are affecting the immediate area.
At this time, it has been confirmed that three men – all in their 20s – have been arrested on suspicion of Section 18 assault, and they remain in custody for further questioning while GMP renews its public appeal for information.
“This is a shocking incident and our thoughts are firmly with the victim and his family during this extremely difficult time,” commented Detective Chief Inspector Helen Bagnall, from GMP’s Salford district. “We are working at pace and remain absolutely committed to identifying everyone involved and bringing those responsible to justice.
“Three arrests have been made in connection with this incident, and we are continuing to appeal for further information.
“Officers remain committed to understand the full circumstances and are urging anyone with information to come forward to support our investigation.”
Can you help? A dedicated online Major Incident Public Portal has been set up, and information, CCTV, dashcam, doorbell, and phone images and footage can be submitted here, or you can also contact police on 101, quoting log 256 of 29/03/26.
Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
The Manc -
26th August 2021 
