Chocolate from Hinckley’s Aldi store could be contaminated with salmonella, forcing the German based chain to issue an urgent recall.

The store on the A5 has recalled 200g (7oz) packs of Choceur Treasures with a best before date of September 1 2015.

Aldi bosses said the batch was sold in the Midlands region only, in towns including Hinckley, Nuneaton, Atherstone, Blaby and Leicester.

The item, part of the retailer’s continental confectionery range, is described as whole hazelnut wrapped in wafer and milk chocolate.

The German manufacturer of the chocolates raised the alert after finding the bacteria in its product. This prompted warnings from Aldi and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) which published a list of more than 100 stores affected.

Shoppers who have purchased the treats are being told to return them to their nearest store for a full refund.

The incident has been described as ‘isolated’ and no other products are involved.

As yet no illness has been reported in the UK as a result of the contamination.

The firm has displayed product recall notices in relevant stores, explaining to customers why it has recalled the item and advising them how to claim a refund, the FSA said.

An Aldi spokesman said only stores in the Midlands were affected and the safety of its shoppers was its “number one priority”.

Salmonella is a pathogen which usually comes from faecal contamination and is most commonly associated with eggs and poultry.

It can cause diarrhoea, stomach cramps and sometimes vomiting and fever which can last for up to a week.

The old, very young and infirm are most at risk and while most people recover without treatment in severe cases hospital care may be required because the associated dehydration can be life-threatening.

Every year in the UK there are about 1,200 food-related incidents dealt with by the FSA but salmonella scares are rare.

The disease reached its peak in the early 1990s with the infamous Edwina Currie eggs scare but cases have plummeted thanks to vaccination programmes and new laws on testing and slaughtering infected birds.