'Source' farm investigated before

An exclusion zone has been set up around the farm

The farm suspected to be the source of the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease was investigated over animal welfare concerns in December.

The RSPCA received complaints about Burnside pig farm at Heddon-on-the-Wall, Northumberland.

Government vets suspect that the pig fattening unit adjacent to the farm is the source of the highly contagious disease that has shaken agricultural communities across Britain.

But the farmer, Bobby Waugh, says his herd was inspected by Ministry of Agriculture officials in January and no signs of the illness were found.

Bobby Waugh: "I keep a careful eye on my pigs"

Mr Waugh, 55, keeps 500 pigs on his farm, which he runs with his brother Ronnie.

The farm regularly delivers live pigs to the Essex slaughter house, Cheale Meats, where the disease was first discovered.

The virus also appeared to have spread from there to cattle at a farm four miles away, at Ponteland.

Inspectors 'refused entry'

The RSPCA said its inspectors tried to visit the farm in December but were refused entry, and the case was passed to Northumberland County Council.

It is not in my interest to have unhealthy pigs

Bobby Waugh

An RSPCA spokesman said the normal procedure would then be for Trading Standards officers to go to the farm along with Ministry of Agriculture vets.

A Maff spokeswoman confirmed that the farm was visited on 22 December following a complaint about animal welfare.

She said the visit produced no grounds for welfare-related prosecution and the pigs were "fit and healthy", but advice was issued to the farmer about upkeep and conditions.

'Satisfied'

There was a follow-up visit on 24 January when conditions were found to have improved, she added.

A Maff inspection team is at the farm

The chief veterinary officer Jim Scudamore said he was "satisfied that when my staff went there, they looked at the animals and there was no evidence of disease at that time".

In a statement released through the National Farmers Union, Mr Waugh said: "On 25 January this year we had our routine annual check-up from a Ministry of Agriculture inspector and a trading standards officer who gave us a clean bill of health.

"They checked the pigs for any health problems and the trading standards officer checked our pig movement records to ensure everything was in order.

"I always keep a careful eye on all my pigs because naturally I want healthy pigs. It is not in my interest to have unhealthy pigs."