ROYAL Bolton Hospital has thrown out sandwiches it bought from the company at the centre of the national listeria scandal linked to five deaths.

The Good Food Chain supplied affected product lines to Bolton Hospital NHS Foundation Trust but no patients are known to have been affected.

A hospital spokesman said: “The Good Food Chain company did supply products to Royal Bolton Hospital. On the advice of Public Health England, we immediately withdrew all products identified as being linked to the outbreak. We are not aware of any of our patients having been affected by this outbreak.”

Bolton Council also had a contract with the firm which it used as a back-up supplier until recently.

A council spokesman said: “The council has not used this supplier for several months and the listing will be removed from the contracts register as soon as possible.”

The NHS has identified nine confirmed cases of listeria at seven different hospitals around the country.

Five people are suspected to have died, including two at Manchester Royal Infirmary, after eating pre-packaged sandwiches and salads linked to the same supplier.

The Good Food Chain, which supplied 43 NHS trusts and independent provider, voluntarily ceased production while inquiries are underway.

A spokesman said: "Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the families of those who have died and anyone else who has been affected by this outbreak.

"The underlying cause of it remains unclear. We understand that the investigations being carried out are complicated and will involve a number of stakeholders, but we hope the authorities will pursue their inquiries with all urgency so the wider industry can learn any lessons as soon as possible, and so those affected do not have to wait too long for answers.

"For our part, we are co-operating fully and transparently with the FSA and other authorities, and will continue to do so."

The business was supplied with meat produced by Salford-based North Country Cooked Meats, which has since tested positive for the outbreak strain of listeria and also stopped production.

Listeria infection is rare and usually causes a mild illness in healthy people.

However, it can have more serious consequences among those with pre-existing medical conditions, pregnant women and those with a weak immune system.

Public Health England said the risk to the public is low.