A leading supermarket has recalled bags of ready-to-eat salad manufactured by a Chichester firm due to a salmonella scare.

Morrisons has pulled the suspect bags from shop shelves and is asking customers to return them to stores.

The affected salad is of UK origin and was manufactured by Natures Way Foods, according to a Food Standards Agency spokesman.

Possible salmonella contamination came to light during routine testing by the supplier, a Morrisons spokeswoman said, and the chain has launched an investigation into the cause of the scare.

The recalled 280g bags of the supermarket's own-brand mixed leafy salad with red chard were priced at £1.49.

Only bags with the use-by date April 29 are subject to the recall. Morrisons is putting signs up in stores to warn customers about the incident.

Morrisons could not say how many bags were subject to the recall. It has not received any complaints from customers about the product.

"We will be doing a thorough investigation and tracing it right back," a spokeswoman for the chain said.

A Food Standards Agency spokesman warned: "Any food with the possible threat of salmonella is a health risk and we would advise consumers not to eat it. It can pose a threat of food poisoning, especially in the vulnerable."