The kidney problems some of those affected have experienced - called haemolytic uraemic syndrome - are a "serious complication" of an E. coli infection, PHE said.

Famous for outlining the "three act" structure used by many screenplays, the author and lecturer died of haemolytic anaemia at his Beverly Hills home.

It said one of the strange things about the outbreak was the number of cases of haemolytic uraemic syndrome.