Disease confirmed at Welsh abattoir

An exclusion zone was set up around the plant

Scientists have confirmed foot-and-mouth disease has spread to Wales.

Tests at an abattoir on Anglesey, north Wales, have proved positive, it was revealed on Tuesday.

All 3,000 livestock on the premises will now have to be slaughtered and burned and an exclusion zone is being put in place.

Disinfectant mats have been laid on roads leading off the island to halt the spread of the disease.

Farmers await news of how far the outbreak has spread

Welsh agriculture minister Carwyn Jones has also told BBC Wales that further locations in Wales are being investigated.

Experts have visited farms at Painscastle and another at Felindre between Knighton and Newtown, checking out stock and exclusion zones have been put in place.

A third farm at Ponthir, near Caerleon, has also been examined.

An emergency meeting at Llangefni on Anglesey finished with education chiefs agreeing to keep schools open.

With fears of the outbreak spreading, the Irish RFU said it did not wish the Six Nations match with Wales to take place on Saturday. It has now been postponed to a later date.

On Monday, an outbreak was confirmed at Llancloudy, Herefordshire, just over a mile from the English-Welsh border and vets are also investigating suspected cases on a second farm nearby.

Following the positive test results at the Welsh Country Foods abattoir at Gaerwen, Mr Jones has revealed plans to give local authorities throughout Wales the power to ban the public from footpaths and other areas of open land.

I would ask everyone to be vigilant and report anything suspicious and with your help, we can conquer the disease

Carwyn Jones, Welsh Agriculture Minister

He told the assembly that officials were "working flat out" to deal with the problem.

Mr Jones also warned farmers not to consider the rash movement of animals for any reason.

"If you break the ban, you are putting the whole industry at risk.

"I would ask everyone to be vigilant and report anything suspicious and with your help, we can conquer the disease."

He also said that if the infection spread to upland sheep herds the situation would become a "disaster".

The foot-and-mouth virus under the microscope

Mr Jones added that he would be holding daily press briefings throughout the crisis in order to keep the media updated.

Ministry of Agriculture vet David Pugh told BBC Wales that a 16km exclusion zone was being drawn up around the plant on Anglesey.

"There will be no movement of animals across the island now, because both bridges come into the affected area," he explained.

He said the slaughter of animals at the plant had begun, and MAFF officials would be liaising with staff to assess compensation.

In Wales, there are concerns that supplies of disinfectant may run out, as land and livestock owners make every effort they can to prevent the spread of the disease.

Disinfectant demand

Thousands of farmers have been spreading straw soaked in disinfectant around the boundaries of their land, in a bid to create a disease-resistant barrier.

But now farming suppliers are warning that supplies could run out.

Hay and Brecon Farmers - a farmers co-operative which supplies agricultural goods across the Brecon Beacons, Hay on Wye and Radnorshire area, is rationing disinfectant.

The Anglesey plant is one of the biggest in Britain, processing around 4,000 animals a day and supplying supermarket chains.

Members of the public are being urged to stay away from the countryside in an effort to stop the disease spreading further.

A weekend appeal to stop ramblers in the Brecon Beacons and Snowdonia National Park failed to have an impact on walkers.

The outbreak has meant the cancellation of Wednesday's Chepstow Races, and the Rally of Wales - and there are doubts about the Wales v Ireland rugby international.

Several agricultural colleges, zoos, and community farms have closed, and even RSPCA inspectors are having to avoid setting foot on farmland.