A very small number of eggs contaminated with a toxic insecticide reached the UK earlier this year.

Some of the eggs, which originated from the Netherlands, were also found in France, the country's agricultural ministry said.

The UK's Food Standards Agency say the risk to the public is very low.

The agency is "urgently investigating" the issue, but to the best of their knowledge, the affected products are no longer on shelves.

It says there is no need for people in Britain to avoid eating eggs and any potential exposure is unlikely to harm.

The revelations come after the supermarket chain Aldi withdrew all eggs from sale in its stores in Germany last week.

Tests had shown the chemical fipronil, which can harm kidneys, liver and thyroid glands, was found in the eggs.

It is feared that farmers in the Netherlands may now need to cull millions of birds as it seeks to eradicate traces of the insecticide from production, according to LTO, a Dutch farming organisation.

Dutch farms

On its website, the FSA said: "Our risk assessment, based on all the information available, indicates that as part of a normal healthy diet this low level of potential exposure is unlikely to be a risk to public health and there is no need for consumers to be concerned.

"Our advice is that there is no need for people to change the way they consume or cook eggs or products containing eggs."

Belgian officials have already admitted that they knew in June that eggs from Dutch farms might be contaminated with the fipronil insecticide.

Fipronil can treat lice and ticks in chickens, but should not be used on food-producing animals because of its toxicity.

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