A Lancashire horticultural expert has urged people to 'Buy British' after German beansprouts were blamed for an E.coli outbreak.

Eleven people in the UK were among hundreds across the continent who were taken ill with food poisoning apparently linked to the bug.

German officials have confirmed that the outbreak has killed 22 people in Europe.

Aarun Naik, National Farmers’ Union North West horticulture adviser, said: “The UK does not import beansprouts from Germany.

“However, we do grow beansprouts in the UK and there are several specialist growers producing beansprouts across the country.

“We would advise consumers to buy British.”

There are 11 people in the UK with food poisoning apparently linked to the toxic E.coli outbreak, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said.

Eight have diarrhoea and three are being treated for haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) - a deadly complication of E.coli.

All are from or have visited northern Germany.

Mr Naik, added: “Consumers buying British produce should not be alarmed.

“I would encourage them to look out for the Red Tractor logo on the food they buy.

"This means that the fruit and vegetables have been produced on farms that are managed by well-qualified, highly-professional growers.

“The logo means that farms have been independently inspected to achieve high standards of food safety, hygiene and environmental protection.

"Also, food carrying the Union Jack flag within the logo confirms that it has been grown here in the UK.”

The WHO said 21 people have died in Germany as a result of the outbreak and globally more than 2,260 people have been infected.

Gert Hahne, the spokesman for the Lower Saxony agriculture ministry, said official test results had not yet conclusively showed that the Lower Saxony-grown beansprouts were to blame but ‘all indications speak to them being’ the cause.

He said many restaurants where people ate before becoming ill had recently taken delivery of the sprouts.

However, he said there would will probably not be any immediate lifting of the warning against eating tomatoes, cucumbers or lettuce.