BBC News Online: UK: England

'Relief' as Devon's shadow lifted

The "dark shadow" of foot-and-mouth begins to lift

Restrictions on moving stock around the second worst-affected county were lifted at midnight on Monday and the way cleared for exports to be resumed.

The announcement was made by officials at the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

Farmers' leaders expressed their delight at the news.

'Dark shadow lifted'

Anthony Gibson, director of the National Farmers' Union for the South West, said it was the news everyone had been waiting for.

"It's a huge relief, it's wonderful news," he said.

"A long dark shadow has been lifted from the Devon countryside.

"The plague has passed, we're free, it's a wonderful feeling."

The announcement came after an additional week's delay because Defra was awaiting several blood test results from the county.

The NFU blamed Defra officials for causing the delay by "sheer incompetence".

Devon had 173 cases of the disease, the last of which was confirmed in June.

But some farms were found to have livestock with foot-and-mouth antibodies, which further delayed the declaration of disease-free status.