E. coli victim dies in Norfolk

An elderly woman has died in a Norfolk hospital from E. coli food poisoning, a spokeswoman said yesterday.

Alice Gourley, 67, died at the James Paget Hospital, Great Yarmouth, after a two-week struggle against the infection.

The hospital spokeswoman emphasised that her death was believed to be a "totally isolated incident".

The hospital had launched a thorough investigation.

The food poisoning outbreak has claimed 20 lives in Scotland over the last three months.

David Hornsey, chief environmental officer for Great Yarmouth Borough Council, said an investigation had already been carried out.

"The incubation period can be as long as 7 to 10 days or as little as three days. Her infection was reported at the beginning of this month - so I can be quite confident that if there were any more cases, we would have heard about them by now."