A LORRY carrying 44 tonnes of aid bound for Romanian orphanages has been allowed on its way by French authorities - minus 500 Cadbury's Creme Eggs.
Customs officials in France had ordered the Romanian driver of the 40ft Convoy Aid lorry to either remove the eggs or return to the charity's base in Stockton, Teesside.
They feared the eggs might have been made with milk from British cows infected by foot-and-mouth disease, and might have the potential to spread the infection across Europe.
The driver, who speaks neither English nor French, was finally able to locate the sealed metal container with the Easter eggs inside and offload them.
Rod Jones, founder of Convoy Aid, confirmed yesterday that the lorry was continuing on its way to Romania.
He accused the French authorities of paranoia, and said the Easter eggs had been intended as a treat for Romanian orphans.
Cadbury's has assured the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food that its chocolate products are safe.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article