Fresh cull around outbreak site

The disease had been confirmed at the farm near Wraysbury, after tests on livestock returned positive.

The farm is within the current protection zone around previously infected farms and minor changes are now being made to the zone.

It is the eighth farm in Surrey found to have the disease since August.

'Vigilance vital'

A spokesman for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, said the exact number of livestock to be culled would not be released while the operation was underway.

In a statement, the department said: "This action is regrettable but necessary in order to eradicate disease in this area as quickly as possible.

"The programme of intense surveillance and blood testing, through which the case at Wraysbury was detected, will continue in this area.

"It remains vital that animal keepers are vigilant for any signs of disease and continue to check animals twice a day."

National Farmers' Union (NFU) spokesman Anthony Gibson said the new outbreak would have severe financial implications.

"The longer we keep getting these outbreaks, the longer it will take to get the export ban lifted. And that's costing at least £2m a day.

"Since the foot-and-mouth outbreak was confirmed in August, we think the total cost to the farming industry is around £250m. That's in terms of lost exports and lower meat prices.

"I think the vets are going to have to do some intensive surveillance of cattle in that area because we really must knock the virus on the head as quickly as we can."

The latest outbreak of foot-and-mouth began in August when two farms in Surrey were found to have the disease.

Leaking pipes at the nearby Pirbright laboratory site were blamed as the source of the outbreak.

Restrictions 'to be eased'

Just days after the government declared the UK free of the disease it emerged again in farms near Egham in Surrey.

Six new cases have since emerged. A 3km (1.9-mile) protection zone is in place around the farms.

The government has said restrictions on moving livestock to markets in areas classed as being low-risk for foot-and-mouth are to be eased next week.

Farmers in England, Scotland and Wales will be able to move their livestock from Thursday, 4 October as long as the situation does not change.

Slaughter markets resumed in Scotland on Monday.

Have you been affected by the latest outbreak? Do you live in the area? Send us your comments using the form below.

The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide.

RELATED INTERNET LINKS
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
National Farmers' Union
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites