Warnings fail to stop walkers

Walkers on Snowdon ignored pleas to keep away

Walkers in Wales have been ignoring pleas to stay out of the countryside as the agriculture industry tackles the spread of foot-and-mouth disease.

Meanwhile three of the farms in Wales connected with the Essex abbatoir where foot and mouth disease was discovered are in West Wales, the fourth is in North Wales.

But inspections at the Welsh farms have found no sign of the disease.

Warden Sam Roberts: Disappointed

No new cases of foot-and-mouth have been confirmed on Saturday.

Despite there being no reported cases in Wales, RSPB reserves have closed, and the Brecon Beacons and Snowdonia national parks had urged visitors to stay away over the weekend.

The Pen y Pass car park at the foot of Snowdonia was full from early on Saturday - even though there were signs warning of the dangers of the spread of the disease and asking walkers to keep away from grazing land.

Wardens were also out in person alerting visitors to the potential hazard.

But in Snowdonia most were ignoring the advice to stay away.

Snowdonia National Park Warden Sam Roberts said that he was disappointed and upset with the reaction of some walkers, who had failed to appreciate the seriousness of the situaition

"I was hoping that there was more understanding between the recreationalists and the people making a living on their land," said Mr Roberts.

"But it seems were are now still as far away as ever,"

A spokesman for Pembrokeshire Coast National Park said it was impossible to say if the public had been heeding advice to avoid the countryside.

One of the Essex farms infected with the disease

He said there were too many entry points into the coast national park to monitor movements.

A week long ban is in place to stop the movement of livestock.

Police forces throughout Wales have given a warning that anyone trying to move livestock without an emergency permit will be stopped.

Rural Liaison Officer with North Wales Police Stephen Owen warned that there could be no exceptions.

"We shall be stopping all agricultural vehicles, recording details and proceeding with prosecutions if necessary," he said.

Meanwhile supermarkets in Wales have not reported any panic-buying of meat so far.

Shoppers in one Cardiff store said they had been told there were plenty of supplies and they were shopping as normal.