An investigation by the BBC’s Watchdog programme has found levels, some “significant”, of faecal bacteria in ice served to customers at some of the major UK fast food chains.

The coliforms were found at seven of the ten samples taken from KFC, six of the ten from Burger King and three of the ten from McDonalds. The likely cause is staff handling the ice, and/or the ice making machines, not properly washing hands after going to the toilet.

Last month Watchdog investigated the ice at three coffee shop chains and found coliforms at seven of ten samples taken from Costa, and three out of ten samples taken from Starbucks and Caffe Nero.