HUNDREDS of tons of poultry meat passed through an infected turkey plant during a bird flu outbreak in February, a health minister has revealed.Nearly 100 tons was delivered to the Bernard Matthews plant in Holton, near Halesworth, from Hungary - the country suspected as being the source of the outbreak, figures showed.

HUNDREDS of tons of poultry meat passed through an infected turkey plant during a bird flu outbreak in February, a health minister has revealed.

Nearly 100 tons was delivered to the Bernard Matthews plant in Holton, near Halesworth, from Hungary - the country suspected as being the source of the outbreak, figures showed.

A Labour Euro MP said many members of the public would have assumed that the plant had shut down completely during the outbreak and would be surprised by the revelation.

But the Food Standards Agency said none of the meat went near the sheds where infected birds were found and it was processed on other areas of the site. A spokeswoman said there had been no risk to public health.

Public health minister Caroline Flint said 850 tons of turkey and 50 tons of chicken passed through the plant and went into the food chain between February 2 - when the outbreak was confirmed - and February 12, when the all clear was sounded.