Environmental health officers have taken samples of cheese from a firm linked to a fatal E Coli outbreak after bosses said they wanted to put items back on the market.

Errington Cheese's Dunsyre Blue product was named as the "likely cause" of the infection last summer, which affected more than 20 people and led to the death of a three-year-old girl.

Food Standards Scotland (FSS) imposed a blanket ban on all the firm's items but bosses announced last week that they wanted to start selling several products again.

Errington Cheese, which has disputed the link between the outbreak and its products, wrote to South Lanarkshire Council to seek permission to put its Lanark Blue and Corra Linn cheeses back on the market.

The local authority enforced a detention order on the products to ensure they were not sold before further tests are carried out.

Environmental health officers visited the farm in Carnwath on Monday to take samples away for testing.

Michael McGlynn, executive director of community and enterprise resources at South Lanarkshire Council, said: "We have been in discussions with Errington Cheese Limited throughout this process, most recently in relation to their stated intention to place on the market cheeses covered by the Food Alert for Action which was issued by Food Standards Scotland.

"Those discussions continue and we remain keen to work with the firm going forward.

"As part of this we have made clear to ECL what steps need to be taken before these cheeses can be put on the market, including tests that must be carried out so that we are satisfied that it is safe to do so."

Mr McGlynn said environmental health officers had "no choice" other than to "detain" the cheeses to prevent them being put on the market.

The detention order makes it an offence to sell the products.

Mr McGlynn added: "The sole purpose of this action is to guarantee public safety, and this remains our priority as we continue to work with ECL and the FSS to conclude this matter."

Humphrey Errington, owner of Errington Cheese, said he hoped the local authority's action would be a step towards resolving the situation.

Mr Errington, who previously said he had laid off 12 staff over the issue, added: "When they detain the cheese it gives them the right to take samples and test it. Once they have done that they are obliged to act within 21 days.

"They either have to release the cheese for sale or they have to take it to a sheriff and say 'this is why we think it shouldn't be sold'.

"Everything is very much up in the air but we have been in a legal limbo. We have not had an opportunity to defend ourselves but this means things are moving."