Potato rot bacteria found at farm

A farmer in Lancashire has had to destroy an entire consignment of seed potatoes after they were found to have a bacterial disease known as brown rot.

The potatoes had been imported from the Netherlands and were due to be planted at the farm.

The bacterium Ralstonia solanacearum can reduce crop yields by 50% and cause problems for future crops.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has taken steps to prevent the disease spreading.

The infection was found during annual checks for potato diseases, including brown rot and ring rot.

Defra has contacted the Dutch authorities to find out where else seed potatoes of the same variety and origin may have gone in the UK.