Since July, 30 cases of Shiga toxin-producing E.coli (Stec) have been confirmed across England and Scotland, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said.

People aged seven to 81 have been infected, and one person from Scotland has now died following infection, the agency added.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) announced on Christmas Eve a precautionary recall of four different products from cheesemaker Mrs Kirkham's Lancashire Cheese, due to possible E. coli contamination.

It added a fifth product on 27 December.

The UKHSA said investigations were continuing into any common links between cases, including links to the recalled cheeses.

It said: "One death has been associated with this outbreak.

"Epidemiological and food chain investigations have identified links between some of the identified cases and a number of unpasteurised cheeses produced by a business in England."

The UKHSA, FSA, Public Health Scotland (PHS) and Food Standards Scotland are working together, along with other agencies, to investigate the outbreak.

The recalled cheeses are: Mrs Kirkham's Mild and Creamy Lancashire, Mrs Kirkham's Tasty Lancashire, Mrs Kirkham's Mature Lancashire, Mrs Kirkham's Smoked Lancashire, and No 1 Waitrose and Partners Farmhouse Kirkham's Lancashire cheese.

'We feel it is our duty to recall our products'

In a statement shared on the company website on Christmas Day, Mrs Kirkham's said it had "taken the difficult decision" to recall all of its products purchased between 1 October and Christmas Eve as a precautionary measure, and suspending all orders "until investigations are completed and we have some answers".

"Whilst at this time, there has been no testing carried out on our products by the FSA to confirm any suspected risks, we feel it is our duty to recall our products," the statement said. "We are working very closely with our local environmental health officers and the Food Standards Agency to fully understand the situation, and whether our products have been correctly implicated."

Mrs Kirkham's said the recall related to new testing techniques which "are not currently industry standard", and so "despite rigorous and thorough testing throughout our production processes, the potential risk to product safety was not previously identified".

The company said it was "in a state of limbo until testing laboratories reopen and resume testing".

Tina Potter, head of incidents at the FSA, said: "We are aware that this recalled product may be popular over the festive period, especially as it has been sold as part of a Christmas gift hamper, and so we are urging consumers to check whether they have bought or been gifted this product.

"Due to this outbreak of E.coli O145, we are urging all consumers to ensure they follow the advice in the product recall notices, which details all of the products which may pose a risk."

The agencies said there was a chance the products were contaminated with Stec.

Symptoms caused by Stec organisms include severe diarrhoea, which can be bloody, abdominal pain, and sometimes haemolytic uremic syndrome - a serious condition that can lead to kidney failure and can be fatal.