HEALTH officials moved to reassure people that there was no cause for concern last night after a pensioner died from e-coli food poisoning.

William John Reames, 82, of Westlands, Park Hill, Coxhoe, near Durham, died in the intensive care unit at the University Hospital of North Durham last Friday after falling victim to type 157 e-coli.

He is understood to have contracted the illness before being admitted to hospital, and was also suffering from chronic heart disease.

An inquest into Mr Reames' death was opened and adjourned by North Durham coroner Andrew Tweddle at County Hall, Durham, yesterday.

A spokeswoman for the Durham and Chester-le-Street Primary Care Trust, said the case was isolated.

"The communicable disease control unit carried out a routine investigation into this particular case and spoke to the family, and they were unable to identify any specific source," she said.

"These isolated cases are not unusual and we have not been notified of any other cases.

"So far this year, we have only had eight cases in County Durham and Darlington, which is slightly less than average."

Last October, several children fell victim to an e-coli outbreak in Great Lumley, near Chester-le-Street, and 21 people died from the illness in Scotland in 1996.