HOUSEHOLDS across the district have been warned not to drink milk or cream produced at a Drewsteignton dairy.

After reports of people becoming ill with conditions such as diarrhoea and vomiting, health officials inspected Dunn's Dairy, Beacon View Farm, and found the pasteurisation plant to be not working correctly or stocks had somehow become contaminated.

As a result the business was ordered to halt production and products already sold on to shops were recalled.

Anyone with milk or cream at home has been advised to dispose of it.

Goods supplied by Dunn's Dairy, of Underdown Farm, Exbourne, are not affected.

Dr Mark Kealy, consultant with the Devon, Cornwall and Somerset Public Health England centre said: 'At the moment we have a number of campylobacter cases that we believe could be linked to consuming milk from Dunn's Dairy, Drewsteignton.

'Taking into account these cases and the findings from the environmental health officers who visited the dairy, we want to take a precautionary approach and ask anyone who has received milk from the dairy to dispose of it and not consume.

'Campylobacter is the most common bacterial cause of infectious gastro-enteritis in the UK. Most people recover without treatment within two to five days, although it can sometimes take up to ten days to get better.

'Symptoms include diarrhoea, vomiting, stomach pains and cramps, fever, and generally feeling unwell. They usually develop within two five days but can take as long as ten days.

'If you have symptoms it is important to drink plenty of fluids as diarrhoea or vomiting an lead to dehydration and you should contact your GP if you have any concerns.'

Peter Wearden, Divisional Environmental Health Officer with West Devon Borough Council, said: 'Environmental Health Officers visited the dairy and took milk samples, the results of which have raised concerns about the potential of either insufficient heat processing or cross contamination of the milk at the plant. 'We have taken steps that require the dairy to stop processing milk and recall milk and cream products that might have been sold to the public. 'We must be satisfied that the products can be produced safely before we allow future sales and we are continuing our investigations. 'We have coordinated a county-wide investigation working with district council officers across Devon and we have also been in discussions with the Food Standards Agency.' The milk mark on the affected bottles from Dunn's Dairy, Beacon View Farm, Drewsteignton is UK DE 008 EC. Teignbridge Council has contacted 16 businesses which are supplied by the dairy and is monitoring the situation. Anyone feeling unwell should contact their GP although the symptoms are believed to be short-lived. Customers can contact Dunns Dairy on 01647 231452.