Foot-and-mouth cull due on Exmoor

There are fears the outbreak could spread

A precautionary cull of livestock is to take place for the first time on Exmoor since the foot-and-mouth crisis began.

Ministry of Agriculture (Maff) officials had been "extremely worried" by four new cases confirmed around the village of Wiveliscombe, near Taunton, in the past three days, fearing it could spread further into Exmoor.

The cull will take place over the next few days at a number of farms, but Maff officials would not reveal which sites or how many animals would be involved.

A Maff spokeswoman said the slaughter was taking place because the farms were considered "dangerous contacts" rather than "infected premises".

Officials stressed that foot-and-mouth had not been confirmed on Exmoor.

Three of the four new cases have involved animals belonging to contractor Rob Norman whose movements over the past two weeks are being traced by ministry officials.

There are concerns the disease could be spread to Exmoor, as two of the 15 farms involved are on the edge of the moor.

The cases come as a blow to the county - which had only seen one earlier outbreak - and where restrictions were about to be lifted.

Foot-and-mouth facts

Total number of confirmed foot-and-mouth cases in the UK 1,564 - 4 by 1900 BST Sunday

2,459,000 animals have been slaughtered

111,000 animals awaiting slaughter

38,000 carcasses awaiting disposal

Farmers leaders in the region have disputed Prime Minister Tony Blair's assertion that the fight against foot-and-mouth is on the "home straight".

Deer 'threat'

Meanwhile a row has developed over whether foot-and-mouth has spread to wild deer.

Concerns have been heightened since vets found carcasses of deer with physical signs of the disease.

If the disease had crossed over to deer, which roam free are far more difficult to cull, it could cause re-infection after the crisis ends.

A cull of wild deer would be difficult

But Ministry of Agriculture (Maff) officials have dismissed fears Britain's 1.5m-strong wild deer population could be carrying the virus.

Maff's assistant chief vet in northern England, Richard Drummond, insisted: "We have no evidence to suggest foot-and-mouth disease has entered the wild deer population.

"Throughout the country 13 sets of samples have been taken - 12 have come back and they are all negative."

But Dr John Fletcher, from the British Veterinary Deer Society, said the tests would not have shown the virus because the animals had been dead for some time when the samples were collected.

He said deer were almost certainly carrying the disease but are unlikely to cause major outbreaks.

"There really isn't anything we can do about it. What we have to do is hold our breath and wait and see."

Tourism hopes

Tourist industry leaders are hoping the bank holiday weekend will continue to bring encouraging numbers of visitors into the countryside.

Parts of Snowdonia have reopened

Good weather and re-opened footpaths have helped swell numbers so far, tourism chiefs said.

The English Tourism Council (ETC) has warned that England will need special aid to prevent the tourist industry losing £5bn this year and a further £3.5bn in the next two years.

Meanwhile, animal rights activists are planning to form a human shield around an animal sanctuary on Sunday where sheep and goats are due to be slaughtered as part of the cull.

About 100 protesters are expected at the Mossburn Animal Centre, a refuge for rescued animals in Hightae, Dumfries & Galloway, badly affected by the disease.