Restrictions relaxed despite foot-and-mouth case

Updated 07.54 Tue Sep 25 2007

Keywords: business, farming, foot-and-mouth disease

A seventh case of foot-and-mouth disease has been confirmed within the existing Protection Zone in Surrey.

But the risk of any further spread in Wales, Scotland and much of England is considered to be low therefore restrictions on the movement of livestock will be relaxed in most of Britain, allowing farm-to-farm movements.

"Our aim is to get farming back to normal when the risk is acceptable to do so" - Debby Reynolds

Chief vet Debby Reynolds said: "Our aim is to get farming back to normal when the risk is acceptable to do so."

Dr Reynolds added livestock markets will not go ahead this week.

Restrictions will remain in the risk area, which comprises the counties of Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Hertfordshire, Essex, Berkshire, Greater London, Surrey, Kent, Hampshire, West Sussex and East Sussex.

A surveillance zone covering parts of East Anglia and the East Midlands has also been put in place to monitor bluetongue after a second animal was found to have contracted the disease at the farm where the UK's first case of the disease was discovered.

The cow at the Baylham House Rare Breeds Farm, near Ipswich, Suffolk, was slaughtered after the discovery was made by vets.

A Defra spokeswoman said: "The evidence remained insufficient to confirm an outbreak."

Tests are continuing on farm animals and midges in Suffolk to see if bluetongue, which is transmitted by biting insects, has spread any further.