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The food company at the centre of a British bird flu scare earlier this year will not face charges, it has been announced today.

Following an investigation into a poultry farm in Suffolk, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) today said there was no evidence of Bernard Matthews having committed any offence during the February crisis.

Restrictions imposed on the area around the Holton cutting farm were lifted on March 12th after the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) declared the area safe.

Bernard Matthews could still have faced charges under Animal By-Products Regulations 2005, Animal By-Products (Identification) Regulations 1995 or the Food Hygiene (England) Regulations 2006.

However, the FSA today said there was insufficient evidence to bring any charges.

"In deciding whether or not to instigate a prosecution, the agency applies the code for crown prosecutors, which says that no prosecution may go ahead unless the prosecutor finds there is sufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction," an FSA statement read.

"We have carefully scrutinised and considered the evidence in this case and concluded there is insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction. Accordingly, we have decided not to proceed to a prosecution in this case."

A restriction zone and surveillance zone was put in place on February 3rd and successfully stopped the spread of the H5N1 strand of the disease, which was detected in turkeys at the Holton farm.

The human form of H5N1 has never been detected in the UK, but more than 250 people are thought to have contracted the disease worldwide.

It is thought humans only catch H5N1 after coming into close contact with infected birds and there is no conclusive evidence yet to suggest it can pass from human to human.