The three children believed to be from Redhill and Reigate who were hospitalised in the Godstone Farm E.coli outbreak have been allowed home.

The children, who were all under ten years old, responded well to treatment at East Surrey Hospital, Redhill.

A spokesperson for NHS Surrey said this week: “There are no children currently in East Surrey Hospital connected with the E.coli outbreak.”

The good news came despite the number of cases linked to the farm and playbarn, where children can pet animals including rabbits and chicks, climbing to 83.

As Life went to press this week, the Health Protection Agency said there were still four children being treated in hospital, but all were described as stable, with none seriously ill.

However, Dr Ruth Milton, director of public health for Surrey, stressed people should still be on the look-out for the symptoms of E.coli - a type of bacteria commonly found in the intestines of humans and animals – which can include diarrhoea which may contain blood, vomiting, fever, abdominal pain and cramps.

She advised people falling ill with such symptoms to seek medical advice through their GP or NHS Direct on 0845 4647.

“Due to the incubation period of E.coli, symptoms may not start for up to two weeks after someone has caught it,” she said.