Army 'link' to foot-and-mouth farm

The army denies the meat was contaminated

The army supplied waste food to the Northumberland pig farm at the centre of the foot-and-mouth outbreak, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed.

But an MOD spokesman said the kitchen waste, from Whitburn training camp near Sunderland, did not contain any imported meat from countries where the disease was present.

Ministry of Agriculture officials have previously suggested that a possible source of the outbreak could have been swill at the farm in Heddon-on-the-Wall, Northumberland, run by farmer Bobby Waugh.

This fresh controversy emerged as fears over the human form of foot-and-mouth disease diminished after 13 people suspected of having the illness were given the all-clear.

Foot-and-mouth facts

Total number of confirmed foot-and-mouth cases in the UK 1,512 - 13 on Saturday

2,289,000 animals have been slaughtered

126,000 animals awaiting slaughter

And farmers on 1300 farms in the south west of England are breathing a sigh of relief at being allowed to sell their livestock again.

This is despite two new cases of the disease in Devon in the past 48 hours.

The Sunday Times claims that cheap foreign meat supplied to the army has been linked to the original outbreak of foot-and-mouth.

It says that more than half of the meat used by the army is imported.

Foreign meat infected with foot-and-mouth has been blamed for the onset of the outbreak.

Baroness Miller, Liberal Democrat spokeswoman, told the paper: "It is possible that the army waste could have triggered off the foot-and-mouth outbreak."

'Unfair blame'

"It's unfair that Chinese restaurants should be blamed when all along waste foreign meat used by the British Army was also ending up in the same swill".

It is possible that the army waste could have triggered off the foot-and-mouth outbreak

Baroness Miller, Lib Dem agricultural spokeswoman

In a reply to a question in the House of Lords by Baroness Miller the MoD said it had provided Mr Waugh with waste meat for 25 years.

Meanwhile tests on 13 humans suspected of contracting the disease have all proved negative, according to a spokesman for the Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS).

But two more people are being tested.

One of those cleared was Cumbrian farm worker Paul Stamper.

Agriculture Minister Nick Brown said: "I am delighted he has been given the all clear, otherwise this could have had serious implications for his future employment."

The PHLS spokesman said one of those tested had contracted a human enterovirus, which has similar symptoms to foot-and-mouth.

Uninterrupted journey

The results followed the lifting of foot-and-mouth infected area restrictions in the south west.

The farmers in Somerset, Devon and Cornwall will now be able take animals to any slaughterhouse within four-and-a-half hours' uninterrupted travel.

Vets will no longer have to inspect the animals before movement, but the farms must still obey controlled area restrictions covering the whole country.

Meanwhile officials in Wales are organising the removal of 1,500 sheep carcasses buried at a site in Welshpool, after blood began seeping to the surface.

The Welsh Assembly has said the carcasses at Buttington Hall would be removed and disposed of elsewhere to avoid any contamination of water courses in the area.