AN investigation is being launched into the death of an elderly woman after a salmonella outbreak at a Salisbury nursing home.

Milford House Nursing Home, on Milford Hill Road, was closed to new admissions for more than a week after seven residents and six staff went down with the illness.

And Salisbury Coroner's Court has opened and adjourned an inquest into the death of 90-year-old resident Eva Paice while it awaits the findings of an investigation by environmental health services at Salisbury District Council.

This week, the nursing home's general manager, Anne-Marie Perry, emphasised that there was no proven link between the death of the resident and the salmonella outbreak.

A statement issued by environmental health added: "It cannot be inferred at this stage that the death was due to the salmonella infection."

Mitch Sanders, principal environmental health officer at the district council, also confirmed that Milford House was now officially clear of salmon-ella.

He said: "They took a number of measures to control the spread, including allowing no new admissions for several weeks.

"The coroner is involved due to the death of a resident and we are currently investigating the cause and collecting information."