Newcastle Street Spice food festival under investigation
- Published
Environmental health officers are investigating a Tyneside food festival following an outbreak of a "diarrhoea and vomiting" bug.
Inspectors from Newcastle City Council and the Health Protection Agency are collecting samples from people who fell ill after the Street Spice event, which finished on Sunday.
The council said it acted after a number of reports emerged.
Organisers of the charity event said they were cooperating with the inquiry.
'List of precautions'
Stephen Savage, the council's director of regulatory services and public protection, said officers were working with 16 businesses involved in the festival which was held in Times Square.
Organiser Bob Arora said a full list of precautions had been taken to ensure high levels of hygiene.
About 10,000 people are believed to have attended the event .
Mr Arora said: "I'd like to get to the bottom of it and find out exactly what it was."