Stoke-on-Trent Legionnaires' trio plan legal action

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Three Legionnaires' disease sufferers are planning legal action after health officials identified the outbreak's "probable source" in Stoke-on-Trent.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) said there had been 20 reported cases in the city, including two deaths. Nine people remain in hospital.

A hot tub at the JTF Warehouse in Fenton is the focus of investigations.

Law firm Irwin Mitchell said at least 17 of the 20 people who caught the disease had recently visited the store.

Amandeep Dhillon, from the firm, said: "Now that a probable source has been identified the focus must turn to finding out what went wrong so that lessons can be learned to prevent similar outbreaks in future.

"Our clients want answers as to what happened and why they have become ill."

A HPA spokesman said the owner of the hot tub was co-operating with its investigation.

Richard Griffin, 64, died on Saturday at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire while a man in his 70s died there on Monday.

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