BEWARE of bacon butties.

That is the message from trading standard inspectors after they discovered customers at certain roadside vans in York were eating more than their entire daily quota of salt by munching through just one bacon sarnie.

The shock revelation was made during a survey of salt levels in the bacon and sausage sandwiches sold in catering vans across Yorkshire.

Rob Blacklock, of North Yorkshire County Council's trading standards and regulatory service, said the results were "startling".

He said: "We were quite shocked by the results. We knew they'd be bad, but not that bad."

Inspectors were sent out to 33 roadside vans in York, North Yorkshire, Barnsley, West Yorkshire and Doncaster. A bacon sandwich tested at a van in York recorded one of the highest levels of salt - a massive 6.8 grams. The maximum daily intake of salt is six grams.

On average, customers from roadside vans in York were likely to obtain 62 per cent of their daily salt intake in one sandwich.

North Yorkshire sandwich eaters fared even worse - devouring on average 78 per cent of their daily salt intake in one bun.

Mr Blacklock said: "We will be working with businesses to cut back on the level of salt by helping them to identify less salty bacon, sausage and bread.

"At the moment, I don't think it would be fair to name and shame the worst offenders, but if businesses are adamant that they couldn't care less, then this is something we will consider."

Professor Graham MacGregor, of the campaign group Consensus Action on Salt and Health, said: "This research demonstrates just how much salt may be lurking in take-away foods.

"It is vital that we keep our salt intake down, as too much salt causes raised blood pressure which in turn is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke."