'Carcass convoy' fears dismissed

Four of the confirmed cases are on Anglesey

MAFF officials have dismissed farmers' fears over the transportation of animal carcasses for burning.

The Farmers' Union of Wales has accepted MAFF's word that lorries removing slaughtered animals from Anglesey to Cheshire are properly sealed and disinfected.

Farmers voiced concerns that carcasses, if not properly sealed for the journey, could increase the chance of air contamination.

Brynle Williams: 'Outrageous'

Farmers Brynle Williams - one of the leaders of last year's fuel protests - and Lloyd Williams said the carcass movement was "unimaginable folly".

Meanwhile, the total of confirmed foot-and-mouth cases in Wales now stands at eight after the latest, at a cattle farm on the Welsh border with England, was confirmed on Saturday.

Ministry of Agriculture vets confirmed three more cases - two on Anglesey and one at Painscastle, Powys, mid Wales on Friday.

Anglesey is badly affected with four confirmed cases while 17 sites across Wales are still being investigated - nine are on Anglesey.

Why should we be frightened out of our wits by these wagons carrying deadly loads?

Farmer Brynle Williams

On Friday, Wales's Agriculture Minister Carwyn Jones said licences would be issued under strictly controlled conditions to enable farmers to move animals within a 10km radius.

The National Assembly's divisional offices across Wales began issuing the licences from 1000GMT on Saturday.

Some farmers queuing for forms were angered after being told they required a vet's certificate if their animals had to be moved more than 0.5km.

But the breakthrough on animal movement has been welcomed by the Farmers' Union of Wales and National Farmers' Union Cymru.

Slaughter: 89,000 animals are earmarked

FUW president Bob Parry warned many new-born lambs and calves might die if they were not allowed to be moved from fields to farm buildings.

Mr Jones added that rules on entering certain parts of the countryside would be reviewed on 16 March.

The Welsh tourism industry is the latest potential casualty of the crisis.

Mrs Rae Duffield, secretary of the Beddgelert Tourism Association has written to Gwynedd Council warning jobs could be lost if venues are unable to open for Easter.

Across the UK as a whole, 140 cases have now been identified after the worst day so far for outbreaks of foot-and-mouth.

The figure compares to 185 cases after the same length of time during the 1967 crisis.

This outbreak is going to last for a long time

Chief Veterinary Officer Jim Scudamore

With the number of cases around the UK still rising, Chief Veterinary Officer Jim Scudamore has said the outbreak is likely to last for some time yet.

Mr Scudamore said 89,000 animals had now been earmarked for slaughter - and that 61,000 of them had already been culled.

Despite this, farmers have been given hope that restrictions on the movement of livestock during the crisis will be eased.

The NFU has set up a new dedicated helpline to answer queries on foot-and-mouth : 08000 646363