Lidl France withdraws beef product as E.coli-infected children hospitalised

Five children have been hospitalised in France today after eating burgers infected with E.coli.

Beef patties from the German supermarket Lidl are thought to be behind the infections.

The have since been withdrawn from shelves there. Lidl Ireland says the frozen beef has never been on sale here.

It also says no other products from the named supplier are sold by Irish stores.

"Lidl Ireland confirms that the frozen beef product, reported as being a suspected source of a strain of E.coli bacteria in France, has never been on sale in Ireland," said a statement.

"Lidl further confirms that no other product from the named supplier SEB, Saint-Dizier is sold by Lidl Ireland.

"Lidl Ireland's fresh and frozen beef burgers, sold under the Moordale brand, are 100% Irish."

The outbreak is not thought to be related to the E.coli outbreak which killed 37 people in Germany last month.