RESIDENTS in the Ribble Valley have been warned to not wash chicken as part of a council campaign during Food Safety Week.

Town Hall bosses have said there were 123 reported cases of food poisoning in the Ribble Valley last year with 84 coming from campylobacter.

Farmers and producers are being asked to reduce the amount of bacteria on their raw poultry, while householders are being advised not to wash raw chicken, as part of Food Safety Week which starts on Monday.

Washing poultry is thought to spread germs on work surfaces.