Farmers' hopes as results awaited

Disinfected ramps are being set up on Welsh roads

Farmers are hoping the government will come to their rescue as the foot-and-mouth crisis deepens.

As tests on three more suspected outbreaks continued in Wales on Friday, ministers were due to reveal details of a scheme to help those facing financial hardship as a result of the disease.

Butchers say people are panic-buying meat

Changes were expected to include allowing the movement of livestock from uninfected areas direct to abattoirs.

It is understood that licences to transport animals could be issued to certain farms as early as Monday.

Speaking at a business breakfast in Cardiff, Prime Minister Tony Blair said the proposals would give "a considerable amount of respite to the farming industry."

Click here to see map of confirmed cases.

Meanwhile, police are again warning that they will prosecute those moving livestock illegally.

On Thursday a farmer was caught herding sheep inside an exclusion zone close to an infected farm at Painscastle, near Hay-on-Wye.

Dyfed-Powys Police described his actions as "madness"

Police will prosecute any illegal movement

So far, three cases of foot-and-mouth have been confirmed in Wales - at an abattoir on Anglesey and at farms in Knighton in Powys and Painscastle. This takes the UK-wide total to 32.

There are three other suspect cases - in Anglesey, Radnorshire and Torfaen. Three other cases were given the all clear on Thursday.

More than 25,000 sheep, cattle and pigs have now been slaughtered because of the outbreak and that number is rising all the time.

And there are fears that with the lambing season due to start, many Welsh farmers may be considering breaking the law.

Latest outbreaks

A farm at Painscastle near Hay on Wye, Powys, Wales

A farm at Felindre near Knighton, Powys, Wales

A farm at Llangorran, Herefordshire

An abattoir atGaerwen on Anglesey

A farm at Llancloudy, Herefordshire

A suspected case at a farm Radnorshire

Suspected case at a farm in Torfaen

Suspected case at a farm on Anglesey

Police found one farmer herding sheep down a road at Painscastle in mid Wales, where an exclusion zone has been set up after a case of foot-and-mouth was confirmed on Wednesday.

All movements of animals have been banned under emergency legislation and police have said that anyone found livestock faces fines of up to £5,000.

Police are stepping up patrols after reports that farmers have been illegally transporting sheep at night.

Daily broadcasts informing farmers of developments and offering guidance are to be broadcast from Friday on BBC Radio Cymru (0715GMT and 0805GMT) and Radio Wales (0620GMT).

Meat shortage

These will continue seven days a week until the end of the crisis.

Meanwhile butchers in Wales are reporting that stocks of red meat are running low.

Some supermarkets have already run out of pork and lamb, and some have said they will buy in meat from abroad to replenish stocks.

John Morgan, whose family has had a butcher's stall in Cardiff market since 1861, says people are buying more than they need.

"Customers are buying much more than they usually have, and we are running out," he said.

"Our problem is that we can't replace our stocks".

Alan Morris of the Farmers Union of Wales said there was "severe anguish" among members worried about what may happen in the future.

"We are telling members absolutely do not move any animals," he said.

"Sheep are lambing at the moment and normally they would be brought down to the farm sheds.

"But some lambs are being born up to 20-30 miles away," he said.

"If farmers have to go to the animals, they must disinfect themselves and their vehicles when they leave the farm and when they return."

Both the Britannia and Menai bridges in north Wales have been heavily congested as vehicles move slowly over mats soaked in disinfectant which have been put down as part of the effiorts to contain the outbreak.

Welsh Assembly emergency helplines :

029 20825572

029 20825578

029 20825586