A government investigation has revealed that the Bernard Matthews plant, where the bird flu infection was found in UK, had severe biosecurity shortfalls and the firm was warned by the health officials about poor hygiene practices.

The turkey sheds were covered with holes, which were easy passages for birds, rats and mice to get in and spread the H5N1 virus. The Times of London has reported that the firm is being investigated about possible violations of European Union animal byproduct disposal laws just before the spread of bird flu.

Meat inspectors had warned the firm as early as in January about the hygiene levels in the sheds, with sea gulls easily making away with meat waste from uncovered waste bins. "There are a number of ways that infection could have entered the shed with the clinically affected birds. They may have become infected because of a reduction of biosecurity measures", the investigation report read.

Meanwhile Bernard Matthews has come out saying that his plants were in no way responsible for the spread of avian flu. "I'm sorry for any confusion but this has not been of our making. There has been absolutely no cover-up at our end. I've been upset about allegations that we may have withheld information. That is completely untrue."

"Let me be absolutely clear, it's my name on the packet and I wouldn't let it go out to the shelves if I thought there was anything wrong with it. Avian flu is a threat not just to my business but to all those in my industry here and abroad. I know some of you will have ruled turkey off the menu and that is devastating to me", Matthews told the Daily Mirror.

He added that even though officials are investigating the link between the spread and his farms in Hungary, none of the farms there had been infected with bird flu. "The link to my business in Hungary is one that is being thoroughly investigated and we were originally told by the experts that the possibility of any link with Hungary had been dismissed. I want to stress there haven't been any reported incidents of avian flu on any of our farms in Hungary", he said.

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